Local and foreign practitioners pray side by side during services at Taipei Grand Mosque. (Photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
 

Public and private organizations are working nonstop to cultivate a welcoming environment for Muslims.

For devout Muslim Ali Chang (張明峻), Taiwan offers a safe haven for religious expression. “It’s a wonderful place for believers to live thanks to the equality, freedom and openness of local society,” Chang said. “Though Muslims are a religious minority here, we don’t experience discrimination in education, employment or political participation.” Men donning skullcaps and women wearing headscarves can move freely in public without attracting undue attention, he added.

Chang’s father was among the roughly 20,000 Muslim businessmen, officials, soldiers and teachers who moved from China to Taiwan in 1949, most of whom married local women and passed the traditions of Islam down to their children. “We rely on our parents just as much as mosques for religious knowledge,” he said. Through parents and religious teachers, children learn the five pillars—the profession of faith, prayers, almsgiving, fasting and pilgrimage—that compose the core beliefs and practices all Muslims should follow, he added.
 

Taipei Grand Mosque is the largest and oldest place of worship for Muslims in Taiwan. It was designated a historic building in 1999 by the city government. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)
 

According to Taipei City-based Chinese Muslim Association (CMA), Taiwan is home to between 50,000 and 60,000 permanent Muslim residents, less than 0.3 percent of the total population of 23 million. While the number of adherents stemming from the 1949 emigration has been steadily declining, there has been a marked increase in arrivals coming for study or employment from Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia and Pakistan, with an estimated 250,000 Islamic workers from the former nation alone.

The diversity and vibrancy of Taiwan’s Muslim community is on full display at the nation’s seven major mosques—located in northern Taiwan’s Taipei and Taoyuan cities, the central city of Taichung, the southern metropolises of Tainan and Kaohsiung and the northeastern county of Yilan—of which Taipei Grand Mosque is the largest and oldest. Built in 1960 in traditional Islamic style with a large dome in the center, two small domes on each side and two minarets, the place of worship is testimony to the inclusiveness of Taiwan society, with local and foreign practitioners praying side by side during services. Group tours are also offered in numerous languages to impart a deeper understanding of Islamic culture to non-Muslim visitors. As a way of ensuring the cultural icon is preserved for future generations, Taipei City Government (TCG) designated the structure a historic building in 1999.
 

Performers put on a traditional dance of Indonesia’s Dayak tribe during Eid al-Fitr festivities. Taipei City Government has organized the yearly celebration since 2016 to foster cross-cultural and cross-religious engagement between Muslim and non-Muslim residents. (Photos courtesy of Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government)
 

Inclusive Atmosphere

Creating a Muslim-friendly environment is one of the goals of the New Southbound Policy (NSP). A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the policy is enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade links with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.

To enhance the experience of Muslim residents and visitors, central and local authorities have launched numerous initiatives helping followers preserve their cultural traditions and way of life. A concerted effort has been made to construct prayer rooms at locations ranging from airports, highway rest areas, hospitals, libraries and railway stations to scenic spots nationwide. Other measures include events celebrating Eid al-Fitr—the most important religious festival in the Islamic calendar—organized by municipalities across Taiwan. TCG began celebrating the festival in 2016 to foster cross-cultural and cross-religious engagement between Muslim and non-Muslim residents. The celebration features bazaars, stage shows and outdoor lectures, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year.
 

More than 250 establishments across Taiwan—including hotels, restaurants and travel agencies—are holders of halal certifications issued by CMA or other civic organizations. (Photo by Chin Hung-hao)
 

As the country’s foremost Islamic organization, CMA is frequently entrusted to assist with efforts by the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications as well as city and county governments. “We’re thrilled to cooperate with official agencies to design products, services and facilities that take into consideration the specific religious requirements of Muslim customers,” CMA chairman Dawood Ma (馬德威) said. “These offerings don’t just benefit Muslim tourists but also address the needs of local Islamic residents.”

In recent years, the association has been involved in establishing halal food standards, issuing certifications and providing Muslim-friendly tour guide training programs. Currently over 250 establishments—including hotels, restaurants and travel agencies—have obtained halal certifications issued by CMA or other civic organizations. CMA additionally shoulders a broad range of responsibilities such as building mosques and Islamic cemeteries; hosting summer camps and symposiums; facilitating study abroad opportunities in Muslim countries; and organizing Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that all adherents are expected to make at least once in their lives.
 

President Tsai Ing-wen, front, is all smiles as she meets with Taiwan’s delegation to the Hajj—an annual pilgrimage to Mecca required by all Muslims at least once in their lifetime—at the Presidential Office in Taipei. (Photo courtesy of Presidential Office)
 

Operations of the country’s mosques are overseen by CMA’s Taichung-based Judicial Body. According to Chang, chairman of the body, the houses of worship serve as more than religious centers, performing cultural, educational and social functions as well. As part of outreach programs, they offer courses on the Arabic language and lectures on the Quran and Islamic values, Chang said.

As a result of public and private endeavors, Muslims in Taiwan have seen a drastic improvement in their quality of life. “Just a few decades ago, I never imagined we’d live as freely and conveniently as today,” CMA’s Ma said. “Prayer facilities in public places and halal-certified products and services make it so much easier to go about our daily lives while keeping true to our faith.”

Peaceful Relations

Efforts to attract international visitors from Islamic countries are bearing fruit as well, with Taiwan ranking as the third most Muslim-friendly destination among non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries and territories, according to the 2019 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) published by U.S.-based financial services provider Mastercard and Singapore-headquartered CrescentRating—a global authority on halal travel. This best-ever performance was an improvement from fifth in 2018 and seventh the year before in the annual GMTI survey based on criteria such as access to prayer space, accommodation, dining options and transportation.
 

A group of Islamic residents picnic in Taipei’s Daan Forest Park, enjoying a Muslim-friendly environment bolstered by public and private initiatives. (Photo courtesy of Department of Information and Tourism, TCG)
 

Taiwan’s reputation for religious freedom has also boosted immigration and enhanced the country’s cultural pluralism, said Tsai Yuan-lin (蔡源林), an associate professor in the Graduate Institute of Religious Studies at National Chengchi University in Taipei. Accounting for the lion’s share of new immigrants in recent decades are Southeast Asians, particularly Indonesian practitioners of Islam. The incoming workers have helped alleviate labor shortages and boosted the local economy. “Since Muslim migrant laborers have made considerable contributions to Taiwan society, members of the public, especially employers, should respect religious needs like praying at five set times per day,” the associate professor said.

According to Tsai, major conflicts between Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and practitioners of folk religions have not become an issue as the country grows more diverse. “Through dialogue and mutual understanding, we have achieved harmony between individual religions and across society as a whole. Taiwan is a prime example of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance,” he added.

Giving evidence to Tsai’s assertion, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in eastern Taiwan—established by the country’s largest Buddhist charity organization, Tzu Chi Foundation—recently commissioned CMA to set up a prayer room for Muslim caregivers. “I’m proud that Muslims living in Taiwan enjoy greater religious freedom than many of their counterparts abroad,” Ma said. “CMA will continue working closely with public and private institutions to create a more accommodating environment for Muslim residents and visitors while strengthening ties with the Islamic world.”