China on the move: Friday prayers draw thousands

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Religion plays an important role in Xinjiang. Most Uygurs in there are Muslim. The region has over twenty thosuand mosques, with new ones being built. Wang Mangmang visits the Id Kah mosque in Kashgar, still going strong after six centuries, for a look at an ancient religion in modern times.

A sacred religious place. The belief of a lifetime, of centuries. For these Muslims, their most important moment of the week. Every Friday, some ten thousand Uygurs come to Xinjiang's largest mosque for prayers. The six hundred year old Id Kah has witnessed religious and social changes over the years.

Kasim became the Id Kah mullah four years ago. He says he's watched the ups and downs in his thirty years of religious life.

Kasim said, "During the Cultural Revolution, the nation's religious policies were somehow breached. However, looking back at the period after that, we saw attention and supports. Funding is one aspect and there's more. It is also particularly helpful in creating a good environment to foster religious figures, so that our tradition will last and improve."

Id Kah has long been part of the Islamic identity. But its history has not been free of threats from terrorists or separatists in history, and even assasinations.

Kasim said, "We are a nation with one point three billion population and five major religions. The nation gives us freedom to choose our religious beliefs or to be non-religious. This freedom means to respect individual choice. There should be no excuse to take advantage of this freedom for any kind of religious conflict or other unrest."