Tibetan Muslims--interesting article

"The Tibetan government allowed the Muslims freedom to handle their own affairs, without any interference. This enabled the community to retain their identity, while at the same time absorbing traditional Tibetan social and cultural traditions," says Butt. The Tibetan Muslims followed the occupation of their ancestors and were mainly traders, who owned successful businesses. The community also contributed to Tibetan society and culture in many ways. For instance, the first cinema hall in Tibet was started by a Tibetan Muslim businessman. Also, Nangma - a popular classical music form of Tibet, is believed to have been brought to Tibet by the Muslims. In fact, the word 'Nangma' is said to be derived from the Urdu word, 'Naghma', which means song. "These high-pitched lilting songs, developed in Tibet around the turn of the century, were a craze in Lhasa, with musical hits by Acha Izzat, Bhai Akbar-la and Oulam Mehdi on the lips of almost everyone," says Butt.

Many Tibetan scholars have commented on how religions as diverse as Islam and Buddhism could co-exist in peace in a traditional society such as that of Tibet. The credit for this, some feel, goes to religious leaders like the Dalai Lama, who took the lead in fostering this spirit of brotherhood. For instance, a history of the Tibetan Muslim community published some years ago relates how during the 17th century, the fifth Dalai Lama readily agreed to give the Muslims land within Lhasa for building a mosque.

The story goes that when a delegation of Muslims approached the fifth Dalai Lama for space for a mosque and a burial ground for their community, the Dalai Lama shot an arrow, with the promise that the place where the arrow fell would belong to the Muslim community. The place later came to be known as Gyangda Linka or the park of the distant arrow. Tibetan Muslims also enjoyed other special privileges in Tibet. For instance, they were exempted from the 'no meat rule' when such a restriction was imposed in the rest of Tibet, during the holy Buddhist months. Besides, their commercial enterprises were exempted from taxation.

All these special privileges, however were withdrawn, soon after the Chinese occupied Tibet in 1959. Most of the Tibetan Muslims, consequently, opted to leave rather than live under the Chinese occupation.
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/20...27/news0819.htm

Interesting article about the peaceful co-existence of Muslims and Buddhists in Tibet prior to the invasion of the Chinese Communists.

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"To be a warrior is to learn to be genuine in every moment of your life" ~Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche~

thanks wind for this topic
in fact i think that tibetan government is more democracy than france, that is frence has not allowed the muslims freedom .

Would you care to extrapolate.

I quote some of the words of the famous Immam Shiek Salman al-Oadah

The preamble to the quote is that if you wish to live in a non islamic country abide by the laws of the land if you dont like it and you can leave do so.

To quote "one of the best approaches for a Muslim living in these countries is patience, as long as he agrees to live in a non Muslim country, he is never to rebel against the people living in his residence of CHOICE, even if it seems hard for him to endure."

I love the fact that this great teacher only refers to male muslims.

So brother France is a democracy with democratic laws whats your problem with it from a Muslim perspective?

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None. Mod edit to remove profanity. Fools to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am stuck up the middle of you!
Religion is a load of bollocks,

Im a Tart, What! you want some of this


Im glad I am a bottom feeder, not an arse licker!

I remember a recent story about discrimination against Muslims and Jews. A homeless shelter insisted on serving pork on purpose--in order to make sure that Muslims and Jews were not able to participate.

France is has controversy about religious dress codes.

I'm not a Muslim, (although the moderators think I am a 'jihadi poster').

I been posting about Islam in other forums because scapegoating is something I pay attention to. One thing this forum has as an advantage is several regular Islamic posters. More than I've seen in any other forum. From at least three different countries. That's a good thing IMO. So far, each Muslim poster has been different from the other. I think that's important for people to see, because we too easily stereotype each other and make the lone-minority a spokesperson for an entire ethnic group.

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"To be a warrior is to learn to be genuine in every moment of your life" ~Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche~

I wouldn't classify it as a complete coexistence though.

"Tibetan Muslims also enjoyed other special privileges in Tibet. For instance, they were exempted from the 'no meat rule' when such a restriction was imposed in the rest of Tibet, during the holy Buddhist months. Besides, their commercial enterprises were exempted from taxation."

Don't get me wrong, I believe bringing them in and treating their culture with respect and encouraging it to flourish is a good thing. But why "special privileges"? Why were they not held to the same requirements as the Buddhists?

Now, if the meat restriction was a religious issue, I can see that. But no taxes?

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For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.
Thomas Jefferson

Not sure, I am doing some more research.

__________________
"To be a warrior is to learn to be genuine in every moment of your life" ~Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche~

Tarheeler--

This may speak to your question. Sounds to me that Muslims were considered foreigners and nationals of India. They would not be held to the same tax requirement and they would be respected for their differences at high Buddhist holy days.



"The Tibetan Muslims are Sunnis. It was common for a Kashmiri to marry a Tibetan girl, who had then to become a Muslim. In Tibet, they were considered Indian citizens, thus having the status of foreigners. In the case of a mixed marriage, the son was considered an Indian and a daughter a Tibetan."
http://www.tibet.com/Muslim/staunch-muslims.htm

Here are some photos:
http://www.tibet.com/Muslim/tibmuslimpic.htm

And here is another article based on a book about Tibetan Muslims:

"In the tradition of all colonial powers, the Chinese often cultivated the minority as a way of controlling the majority. Muslims in Tibet were promoted to high positions, and so forth. This led to widespread resentment among Tibetan Buddhists, especially in the early years of the revolution. In 1959, for example, a mosque was burned down in Lhasa, because Muslims were accused of collaborating with the Chinese."
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/14611

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"To be a warrior is to learn to be genuine in every moment of your life" ~Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche~

Yes, that does explain it. Thank you, Wind. In reading the article, it sounded as if the Muslims were made part of the Tibetan population. I can understand holding foreign nationals at separate standards.

__________________
For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.
Thomas Jefferson