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Mosques reopen to prayers in riot-hit Urumqi

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-18 00:03

URUMQI: All 433 mosques in Xinjiang's regional capital Urumqi, some of which were closed last week after the July 5 riot, were opened to prayers Friday, the main day of worship for Muslims.

Muslims pray at the Yanghang Mosque on Shengli Road in Urumqi on the Jumu'ah Day, July 17, 2009. [Xinhua]

Most mosques near the site of the riot, which left at least 192 people dead, were shut for security reasons last Friday at the request of imams. As social order gradually returned to normal, all the mosques reopened Friday, or Jumu'ah Day, said an official in charge of religious affairs with the Xinjiang regional government.

A resident surnamed Ai said he saw police strengthen security around Yanghang Mosque on Shengli Road Friday as several thousand people waited outside the building for it to open.

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Many who came late just laid their prayer rugs on the ground in the square and prepared for the ceremony.

"More security staff were sent here. Members of the congregation must open their bags for security checks before entering the mosque," he said.

A young woman selling rugs in the square said she expected a good sale Friday as usual. "My goods are very cheap," she said.

The prayer ceremony started at 2:35 p.m. and people chanted the Koran following the imams.

The ceremony lasted five minutes and a nearby roadside market became crowded as many people came out to purchase food and daily necessities.

"The government brought the situation under control soon after the riot. Now social order is restored and we feel safe in the mosques," said Tayir, a Uygur man who attended the ceremony.

The ceremony in China's largest mosque, the Id Kah Mosque, in Kashi city, went smoothly with a heavy police presence. People entered through three security door points at about 3:30 p.m. as more than 20 police vans and many armed police watched the crowd and the building until the ceremony ended 15 minutes later.

In Yining City, prayer ceremonies proceeded calmly in the city's 196 mosques Friday under a strong police presence.

Many Muslims pray five times every day, mostly at home. On Friday, they usually gather at mosques for weekly congregational prayers.

Although the mosques were open, imams still advised people to perform prayers at home.

"According to the doctrines of the Koran, Muslims can perform rituals at home Friday, but not necessarily at mosques if there is social unrest or war, or their families are sick," said Abdushukur, imam of Baida Mosque.

The rioters, especially terrorists, should be punished rigorously as soon as possible according to the law, said Guo Yonghui, vice chairman of Xinjiang Academy of Law.