Jahriyya

Another prominent Sufi order in China is known as Jahriyya. Jahariyya is also a branch of the Naqshbandi order and is one of the most widespread menhuan in China. This order was founded by Ma Mingxin who became an ascetic under the influence of his Sufi mentors. Jahariyya shares a long history of competition with the Khuffiya order as they both struggled for supremacy amongst the Muslim population in China. This order is regarded as having great religious authority due to its long hereditary chain of spiritual masters and teachers. One of the distinct characteristics of this order is its practice of loud remembrance customs. The remembrance or dhikr in Jahariyya order is performed aloud rather than silently. Also, another unique element of this menhuan is the specific physical movements during the dhikr. Influenced by the teachings of Ma Mingxin, the Jahriyya dhikr involves ritualistic chanting accompanied with head and body movements as well as special breathing techniques. The Jahriyya practices are more radical in comparison to Khufiyya practices, aiming for a more pure lifestyle and refrain from worldly attachments. Muslims in China have a long history of ethnic and religious repression however they have continued to maintain their religious and cultural distinctiveness. One of the main factors in sustaining Islam in China has been the Jahriyya order, which despite severe persecution under Qing dynasty, remained influential in the lives of Chinese Muslims.

An example of the practice of loud dhikr:

Jahriyya followers wearing the distinct six-horned caps to differentiate themselves from the other Sufi sects

Jahriya Sufi mosque in Kunming, the capital of the South-western province of Yunnan. The dome is influenced by the six-horned caps worn by the Sufi Jahriyya followers