Chinese government authorities in the northwestern Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang have banned parents from giving their children dozens of ‘extreme’ Islamic names, as part of an ongoing crackdown on alleged ‘extremism’ in the area.
C hinese government authorities in the northwestern Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang have banned parents from giving their children dozens of ‘extreme’ Islamic names, as part of an ongoing crackdown on alleged ‘extremism’ in the area.
An official list of banned names had previously been circulated in Hotan, south Xinjiang, as early as 2015, sources told Radio Free Asia.
Published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party as ‘Naming Rules For Ethnic Minorities’, the document’s rules now appear to be enforced throughout the region, which is home to the biggest Muslim population in China.
N ames with overly religious connotations – such as Jihad, Imam, Mecca, Saddam and Hajj – are banned for supposedly ‘exaggerating religious fervour’, despite being popular choices for Muslim parents all over the world.
Any babies who are found to be registered under the listed names will be barred from the hukou household registration system used throughout China – effectively denying them access to public healthcare and education.
“I think it is possible, according to China’s anti-terror law, [that] there are several names forbidden to give to new-born babies, such as Jihad, which means holy war, ” said a Xinjiang government official surnamed Li, based in the regional capital of Urumqi.
