Beijing's Muslim population celebrates Eid

Описание: (8 Aug 2013)
Beijing - August 8, 2013
1. Men bowing down in prayer
2. Imam standing at entrance to hall
3. Man looking on
4. Wide Imam and people kneeling down in prayer
5. Sign reading "Happy Eid Festival"
6. Men seated on ground
7. Close up men's faces
8. Wide of women seated in courtyard of women's section
9. Women's faces
10. Women seated on ground
11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Wei Chunjie, Deputy Director of the Mosque's Administration Committee:
"We have completed one month of fasting. Everyone is very worn out and tired, but today we are very excited because we can clearly see that thousands of Muslims have gathered here at Beijing's oldest Niujie mosque to carry out the morning prayers under the leading of our imam. There's no need to mention how wonderful this is."
12. People walking in mosque vicinity
13. Tower in mosque
14. Ornaments on roof of tower
15. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ying Guofang, Imam:
"Islam is a peaceful and harmonious religion, and Muslims also defend peace. Our religion has contributed a lot to peace. But for some of those who are different from the rest, they are not a representation of Islam or Muslims. It is entirely individual behaviour. So as imams of the Muslim faith, we also need to do our best to safeguard peace and harmony in society."
16. People gathered around stall selling accessories
17. Women shopping at stall
18. Hands inspecting material
19. Seller speaking to customer
20. Various of people shopping
21. Man wearing hat
22. Stalls on street selling food
23 People buying food at stall
24. Girl serving customer
25. Hands packing food in bag
26. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Han Xiaomo, Vox Pop
"As we have fasted for a full month, this afternoon our family and friends are all going to gather and have a meal together. We have cooked up a lot of good food, such as our fried dough twist, salted sesame cake, powdered candy, and lamb. We'll all get together and eat."
27. Various of people buying food at stall
28. Man serving customer
29. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Kang Yao, Vox Pop
"Eid for the younger generation of Muslims such as myself is also a very important festival every year, because over the past month the older people or those who don't have to go to work have had to fast, so today we can start to eat."
30. Man carrying cake out of cart
31. Cake in cart
32. Police cars parked on street
33. Various of policemen looking on
34. Close of policeman directing crowd
35. Various of people walking past stalls
LEADIN
Chinese muslims have been marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Eid al-Fitr occurs when the new moon is first sighted - and it's time to halt fasting from sunrise to sunset.
STORY LINE:
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and hinges on the sighting of the moon.
China's estimated 20 million Muslims are observing Eid with the majority of the world this year, while neighbouring India and Pakistan celebrates a day later.
Around 6,000 Muslims, mostly of Hui and Uighur ethnicities, attended the Eid morning prayers at Beijing's largest mosque.
Wei Chunjie, the deputy director of the Niujie mosque, says that the festival is the busiest time for the mosque each year.
"We have completed one month of fasting. Everyone is very worn out and tired, but today we are very excited because we can clearly see that thousands of Muslims have gathered here at Beijing's oldest Niujie mosque to carry out the morning prayers under the leading of our imam. There's no need to mention how wonderful this is,"
But Ying Guofang, an imam at the mosque, says that such actions do not reflect Islam.

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