The Phenomenon of the Deaf Imam in Linxia : A Case of the Transformation of the Attributes of Contemporary Muslim Denominations

Abstract

The Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province is an area where Chinese Muslims are concentrated. Still carrying the old name of Hezhou, the prefecture was established in 1956, and became known as the Mini-Mecca of China. The prefecture gained its reputation as the Mini-Mecca of China not only because of the richness of its Islamic culture, but also because of a phenomenon unique in the entire Islamic world, the segmentation of Muslims in this area into several denominations owing to differences in religious life. Movements of Muslim society in Linxia are deeply linked to the operations and interactions of these denominations. During the Hui uprising and the period of denominational competition, Imam Chi Ming-De (1897-1987), commonly called “Deaf Imam”, was particularly praised forsafe-guarding the belief in the ”old religion” and for his superior scholarship in preaching. His marvelous life vividly reflected the differences and disputes among the denominations in Linxia. After his death, the works of his descendants and followers have continued the transformation of the attributes of Muslim denominations in contemporary Linxia. This paper is primarily based on data gathered from fieldwork in Linxia over the past twenty years 1992-2013), and the three volumes of writing by Imam Chi Ming-De published by the Mingde Mosque. We investigate how Chi’s family transformed gradually from Qadim to Menhuan in a confronting situation of plural denominations in the Linxia area, which in turn formed the special “Deaf Imam” phenomenon in the overall atmosphere of new Islamic new thoughts and social modernization in Linxia.

甘肅省臨夏回族自治州是中國穆斯林分佈較為集中之處，於1956 年建制，然古稱「河州」之名迄今仍被廣泛使用，並以「中國的小麥加」之美名享譽中外。臨夏被稱為中國的小麥加，除了標示著此地伊斯蘭文化氣息濃厚足為中國之代表，該處穆斯林因宗教生活之殊異而裂解（segment）為數個宗派（denominations）的情形，亦為整體伊斯蘭世界中獨有的現象。臨夏穆斯林社會的脈動與這些宗派的運作和互動牽連甚深，在各派興起且相互競爭之際，人稱「聾阿訇」的祁明德教長（1897-1987）捍衛「老教」的信念以及辯經論道的豐厚學養尤為人稱道，其傳奇的一生即是臨夏宗派分歧與紛爭的寫照，歸真之後，後代子孫及追隨者的作為，則譜寫了一頁臨夏當代宗派屬性移轉的特殊案例。本文以歷經20 餘年（1992-2013）在臨夏採集的田野資料與明德清真寺出版之《聾阿訇》三冊書籍為主軸，探究臨夏地區多元宗派對立情勢中，祁氏家族如何由「格底木」漸往「門宦」挪移，在臨夏伊斯蘭新思潮與社會現代化整體氣氛中形成特殊的「聾阿訇現象」。