seeking titles for Islam, Arab World and China reading list

[jiaoshou]

I'm trying to compile a reading list about Islam, the Arab world and China.

I am looking for good books to read in any language about the history of Islam in China, contemporary issues connecting China and the Arab or Muslim world, sociology or anthropology of contemporary Muslim communities in China, and related matters.

I picked up a popular book in Cairo a few years ago

المسلمون في الصين: أساطير... حكايت ... و حقائق

by عبد العزيز حمدي

which gives 3 pages or so of bibliography of books in Arabic and Chinese (the Chinese titles are all translated into Arabic).

I am interested in good websites and film as well.

[jiaoshou]

Ask and ye shall receive...

I was synching my Ipod today and for those of you who understand spoken Arabic there is a new podcast of BBCxtra called SINO-ARAB relations, dated 7 April 08.

[Sam Addington]

I am in the process of reading "Oracle Bones" by Peter Hessler which came out a couple of years ago. He is the Beijing correspondant of the National Geographic and the New Yorker. He has some intersting observations on the topic.

[jiaoshou]

Can anyone tell me anything about the use of the Qur'an in China? Another thread brought up the issue of the lack of spoken Arabic in Xinjiang.

I am sure that the Qur'an must be read in translation by the millions of Chinese Muslims. Does anyone know about the translation? Who made it? When was it made? Is there a history of translations?

[renzhe]

There is a lack of spoken Arabic everywhere outside of the Arab world. The vast majority of Muslims worldwide can't speak or understand Arabic. Most merely memorise prayers by heart in Arabic, through transliterations into their own language.

The Chinese translations of the Quran are very old, as the religion entered China at the very beginning. The great mosque in Xi'an has some of the oldest manuscripts. I don't know much more in detail, I'm afraid.

[jiaoshou]

It's not only in China that Muslims memorize Arabic without knowing what it means (except through translation).

I have an answer to the question I asked about Qur'an in Chinese translation.

"In 1980, the full translation of the Holy Qur'an by Ma Jian was published by the Chinese Social Science Press. In 1986, making use of this version. King Fahd Holy Qur'an Printing Complex printed an Arabic-Chinese bilingual Holy Qur'an and presented it to various countries, making it the most popular version in China. In 1988, "Rhymed Translation of the Holy Qur'an" by Lin Song was published by the publishing house of the Central University for Nationalities. In 1989, "Chinese- Arabic Bilingual Detailed Translation and Annotation of the Holy Qur'an" by Shams Tong Daozhang, an American Chinese, was published by Yilin Publishing House in Nanjing, and in 1999 its revised edition was published. Furthermore, Hui scholars have translated and published some other Islamic scriptures and academic works, among which what is worth mentioning is: Maimaiti Sailai translated the Holy Qur'an into the Uighur language and Abdul Aziz and Mohmaud translated the Holy Qur'an into the Kazakh language, these were published by Ethnic Press in 1987 and 1989 respective"

source: http://www.aboutxinjiang.com/zt/Islam/CHAPTER%205-3%20Developing%20Islamic%20Education%20and%20Studies.htm

Does anyone know anything about these translators?