A little bit on the lighter side with today's entry. This Friday I was able to observe the Jumu'ah (weekly Friday prayers) at Beijing's Niu Jie Mosque. Niu Jie's mosque is pretty much the heart of Beijing's Hui community, and is a really vital center for Islam in the city. As you might expect, weekly prayers on Friday are well, attended, multicultural affairs, as faithful from all ethnicities and national origins descend upon Niu Jie to attend. Here are some photos taken before the service began to give you a feel for what the atmosphere is like:
Much more to come from Beijing very soon! Stay tuned.