RabaTEENS is a nurturing space for deep and meaningful Islamic spiritual mentorship with compassionate and caring mentors. We design fun, creative, and positive educational experiences to help teens grow confidently and comfortably into their faith.



Class Description


Journey across centuries and cultures to discover the fascinating story of Islam in China! Islam in China: Faith Along the Silk Roads invites students to explore how Islam traveled across land and sea, took root in China, and became part of a rich and diverse Muslim history spanning more than a thousand years. From early Muslim merchants and travelers to mosques, scholars, families, and communities, students will discover how Muslims preserved their faith while making a home within Chinese society.

Over five weeks, students will journey along the Silk Roads, explore the beauty of Chinese Muslim culture and architecture, meet scholars who expressed Islamic ideas in the Chinese language, and discover the remarkable legacy of Muslim women and women’s mosques in China. They will also learn about the diversity of Muslim communities across China and their connections to the wider Muslim world. Through stories, discussions, reflection, and exploration, students will uncover a lesser-known chapter of Muslim history while considering what it means to preserve faith, embrace cultural diversity, build community, and belong to the global ummah.



Class Outline


Week 1:  How Did Islam Reach China?

Travel back to the early centuries of Islam and follow the journeys of Muslim merchants, sailors, and travelers to China. Students will explore the Silk Roads and maritime trade routes, discover some of the earliest evidence of Muslim communities in China, and examine the difference between historical evidence and traditional accounts of how Islam first arrived. 


Week 2:  Chinese AND Muslim

What does it mean to belong to a culture while remaining rooted in Islam? Students will discover how generations of Muslims established communities in China and explore how Chinese cultural traditions influenced Muslim architecture, food, language, and everyday life while Muslim communities maintained their religious beliefs and practices. 


Week 3:  When Islam Spoke Chinese

Meet Chinese Muslim scholars who faced an intriguing challenge: how do you communicate Islamic beliefs and ideas in a different language and cultural setting? Students will discover scholars such as Wang Daiyu and Liu Zhi, explore the Han Kitab tradition, and consider how Islamic knowledge has traveled across languages and cultures. 


Week 4:  Muslim Women of China

Discover the remarkable history of Chinese Muslim women as students, teachers, and transmitters of Islamic knowledge. Students will learn about the centuries-old tradition of women’s mosques and female religious teachers known as nü ahong, who taught and served women within their Muslim communities. They will explore the important role women have played in nurturing faith, preserving Islamic knowledge, and educating generations of Chinese Muslims. 


Week 5:  One Ummah, Many Peoples

China is home to diverse Muslim peoples and communities with different languages, histories, and traditions. In the final week, students will explore some of these communities, their connections with the wider Muslim world, and the different experiences that have shaped Muslim life in China over time. Students will also consider some of the challenges Muslim communities have faced in preserving their faith and identity. The class will conclude by reflecting on what more than a thousand years of Muslim history in China can teach us about faith, resilience, community, and belonging to the global ummah. 

Class Activity Materials

None 

Recommended Book (Optional)



Islam in China 
by James D. Frankel

Class Day & Time

Fridays, 10:00 - 11:00 AM Central Time 

Session dates: September 18 - October 16 

Students must attend Zoom live sessions. Classes are NOT recorded.


*Enrollment into the RabaTEENS program is on a per-student basis. If two (or more) students are planning to attend a class together by sharing a screen, each student will need to enroll for class individually. 

**RabaTEENS programs are for girls aged 12-17 ONLY. Students are required to be 12 already in order to join any of RabaTEENS programs.

Certificate of Participation

Certificates of participation are available upon request.

Refund Policy

No refunds are issued once the session begins. 

Islam in China: Faith Along the Silk Roads

Meets once a week for one hour (5-week session)

Instructor

Anse Fara Rasiman

Anse Fara Rasiman is an educator, volunteer, youth programs leader, and mentor who has dedicated her career to supporting and empowering communities around the world. She began her career in public relations, digital marketing, and community management, gaining extensive experience with global consumer brands, sustainable energy and tech startups, and nonprofit organizations across the Asia-Pacific, European, and North American markets. Born and raised in Malaysia and of Malay and Chinese heritage, Anse Fara spent several years of her youth in Australia before returning home. Her professional and volunteer experiences, including impactful work with organizations such as Cancer Council New South Wales, Camp Quality Australia, and Habitat for Humanity Australia, have strengthened her commitment to nonprofit and community work, which began nearly 20 years ago when she first started volunteering in college. Anse Fara is passionate about working with international communities and has done so particularly across North America, Germany, Southeast Asia, Japan, and China. Anse Fara currently serves as Rabata's Youth Programs Coordinator, overseeing programs that educate and mentor girls aged 6 to 17. Through the Youth Programs, she hopes to create more opportunities centred on international studies and global learning for Rabata's youth. She previously led a halaqa for several years, providing a weekly space for Muslim women to gather and study the sira, tafsir, Imam al-Nawawi's Forty Hadith, and Riyad al-Salihin. A lifelong learner, Anse Fara is currently continuing her studies in special needs education, as well as history and anthropology, with particular interests in Asian contexts and studies. She also continues to study with accomplished educators and scholars in the Islamic sciences and is currently working toward a Quran ijaza. Passionate about education and youth development, Anse Fara aspires to build impactful leadership, volunteer, and international learning opportunities for the youth at Rabata while continuing to contribute to her local community.