A Study of Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang in the New Era

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has elevated Xinjiang work to a height bearing on the overall strategic situation of the Party and the state, convening multiple meetings of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and meetings of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to study Xinjiang work. During his two inspection tours of Xinjiang, when presiding over the Second and Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposiums, when participating in the deliberation of the Xinjiang delegation at the Fifth Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, and in his reply letters to Xinjiang model figures and university teachers and students, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly issued important instructions and directives on Xinjiang work, putting forward a series of important thoughts on doing a good job of Xinjiang work, and forming the Party’s strategy for governing Xinjiang in the New Era. Among these, the important discourses on religious work in Xinjiang, focusing on the overall consideration of the healthy development of religion in Xinjiang, social stability and economic development, are an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. An in-depth study of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era has important theoretical and practical significance.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，将新疆工作提升到事关党和国家战略全局的高度，多次召开中央政治局常委会会议、中央政治局会议研究新疆工作。习近平总书记两次赴新疆考察工作中，主持召开第二次、第三次中央新疆工作座谈会上，参加十二届全国人大五次会议新疆代表团审议时，给新疆模范人物、高校师生回信中，多次对新疆工作做出重要指示、批示等，提出了做好新疆工作的一系列重要思想，形成了新时代党的治疆方略。其中，关于新疆宗教工作的重要论述，着眼于新疆宗教的健康发展、社会稳定和经济发展的整体考量，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分。深入研究习近平总书记关于做好新时代新疆宗教工作重要论述，具有重要的理论和现实意义。

I. The Main Content of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang

一、习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作重要论述的主要内容

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, based on the overall national security, centering on the general objective of social stability and lasting peace in Xinjiang, focusing on promoting the Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang, actively guiding religion to adapt to the socialist society, and mobilizing people of all ethnic groups, including religious believers, to jointly build the Chinese Dream, has published a series of important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. These are an important component of the Party’s strategy for governing Xinjiang in the New Era, and mainly include the following five aspects.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记立足国家总体安全，围绕新疆社会稳定与长治久安的工作总目标，着眼于推进新疆伊斯兰教中国化，积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应，调动包括信教群众在内的各族人民同心共筑中国梦的实践要求，发表了关于做好新疆宗教工作的一系列重要论述，是新时代党的治疆方略的重要组成部分，主要有以下五方面内容。

(I) Uphold and Strengthen the Party’s Leadership over Religious Work in Xinjiang

（一）坚持和加强党对新疆宗教工作的领导

The Party exercises leadership over everything, whether it is the Party, the government, the military, the civilian sector, or cultural and educational institutions, whether it is the east, west, south, north, or center of the country. The Communist Party of China is the core force leading our cause. Party leadership is the most essential feature and the greatest strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since the founding of New China, the historic changes and great achievements in Xinjiang have been inseparable from the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Party leadership is the key to doing a good job of all work in Xinjiang. Strengthening the Party’s leadership over religious work in Xinjiang is the core link in forming a new pattern of religious affairs governance in Xinjiang characterized by “Party committee leadership, government management, social coordination, and religious self-discipline.” It is the fundamental guarantee for the implementation of the Party’s and the state’s religious work decisions and deployments in Xinjiang, and it is the fundamental reliance for maximizing the convergence of consensus from all sides and doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. In view of this, General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to effectively strengthen the Party’s leadership over religious work in Xinjiang. His main arguments in this regard are as follows.

党政军民学、东西南北中，党是领导一切的。中国共产党是领导我们事业的核心力量，党的领导，是中国特色社会主义最本质特征和最大优势。新中国成立以来，新疆发生的历史性巨变，取得的伟大成就，都离不开中国共产党的领导，党的领导是做好新疆各项工作的关键所在。加强党对新疆宗教工作的领导，是新疆宗教工作形成“党委领导、政府管理、社会协同、宗教自律”的宗教事务治理新格局的核心环节，是党和国家宗教工作决策部署在新疆贯彻落实的根本保证，是最大程度凝聚各方共识，做好新疆宗教工作根本依靠，有鉴于此，习近平总书记强调要切实加强党对新疆宗教工作的领导，其论点主要有以下几方面。

First, based on Xinjiang’s regional conditions of multiple ethnic groups and multiple religions, raise awareness of the importance of doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. During his inspection of Xinjiang, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “In the big socialist family, only with ethnic unity and religious harmony can all undertakings flourish.” “The greatest mass work in Xinjiang is ethnic unity and religious harmony.” In Xinjiang, ethnicity and religion are inextricably linked, manifested in the large number of religious believers and the deep degree of religious influence. Among the ten ethnic minorities of Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui, Kirgiz, Tatar, Uzbek, Tajik, Dongxiang, Salar, and Bao An, Islam has a relatively large influence, with a relatively high proportion of religious believers, especially in the southern Xinjiang region. Islam has a broad and deep influence on the ethnic concepts, modes of thinking, behavioral orientations, and daily life of religious believers. The intertwining and superimposition of ethnic issues and religious issues makes ethnic unity and religious harmony the key and difficult points in doing a good job of Xinjiang work.

第一，立足新疆多民族、多宗教的区情，提高对做好新疆宗教工作重要性的认识。习近平总书记考察新疆时强调：“在社会主义大家庭里，只有民族团结、宗教和谐，各项事业才能蒸蒸日上。”“新疆最大的群众工作就是民族团结和宗教和谐。”在新疆，民族与宗教有着千丝万缕的联系，表现在信教人口多，宗教影响程度深等方面。在维吾尔族、哈萨克族、回族、柯尔克孜族、塔塔尔族、乌孜别克族、塔吉克族、东乡族、撒拉族、Bao An族10个少数民族中，伊斯兰教有着较大的影响，信教群众占比较高，南疆地区尤其如此。伊斯兰教对信教群众的民族观念、思维方式、行为取向以及日常生活等有着广泛、深入影响。民族问题与宗教问题的交织叠加，使得民族团结、宗教和谐，成为做好新疆工作的重点和难点问题。

Second, it is necessary to give play to the Party’s leading core role of exercising overall leadership and coordinating all parties in religious work. Give full play to the Party’s leading core role in promoting the construction of a new pattern of religious affairs governance in Xinjiang, and effectively improve the ability to govern religious affairs according to law. Improving the ability to govern religious affairs has its focus at the grassroots level, and its difficulty also lies at the grassroots level. For this reason, at the Second Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to effectively strengthen the construction of grassroots Party organizations: “Strive to build grassroots Party organizations into strong fighting bastions that serve the masses, maintain stability, and oppose splittism, so that the Party’s flag flies high over every grassroots position.”

第二，要发挥党在宗教工作中总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用。发挥好党在推动新疆宗教事务治理新格局建设中的领导核心作用，切实提高依法治理宗教事务的能力。提高宗教事务治理能力，重点在基层、难点也在基层，为此，习近平总书记在第二次中央新疆工作座谈会上，强调要切实加强基层党组织建设：“努力把基层党组织建设成为服务群众、维护稳定、反对分裂的坚强战斗堡垒，让党的旗帜在每一个基层阵地上都高高飘扬起来。”

Third, it is necessary to focus on cultivating a contingent of cadres from ethnic minorities with solid theoretical foundations, accurate policy grasp, and strong practical ability. At the Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The construction of a high-quality contingent of cadres from ethnic minorities who are loyal to the Party, have both ability and moral integrity should be treated as an important task and pursued unremittingly.” As far as doing a good job of religious work is concerned, cadres from ethnic minorities have the advantages of broad connections with religious believers of their own ethnic group, convenient language communication, and high prestige among their own ethnic masses. They play an irreplaceable and unique role.

第三，要着力培养一支理论功底扎实、政策把握到位、实践能力强的少数民族干部队伍。习近平总书记在第三次中央新疆工作座谈会上指出：“要把建设一支对党忠诚、德才兼备的高素质少数民族干部队伍作为重要任务常抓不懈。”就做好宗教工作而言，少数民族干部有着联系本民族信教群众广泛、语言沟通便利以及在本民族群众中威望高等优势，他们具有不可替代的独特作用。

(II) Uphold the Direction of Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang, Actively Guide Religion to Adapt to the Socialist Society

（二）坚持新疆伊斯兰教中国化方向，积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the issue of the Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang. During the Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposium and during his inspection of Xinjiang in July 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized the need to actively guide religion to adapt to the socialist society: “We must uphold the direction of Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang and achieve the healthy development of religion.” This important judgment is an accurate diagnosis of the issue of the Sinicization of religion in Xinjiang, directly hitting the core of the religious issue in Xinjiang. In this regard, the main points of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s relevant discourses are as follows.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对新疆伊斯兰教中国化问题高度重视。习近平总书记在第三次中央新疆工作座谈会和2022年7月视察新疆期间反复强调，要积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应：“要坚持新疆伊斯兰教中国化方向，实现宗教健康发展。”这一重要论断，是对新疆宗教中国化问题的准确把脉，直击新疆宗教问题核心。对此，习近平总书记的相关论述要点有以下内容。

First, it is necessary to clarify that Chinese culture is the foundation of the cultures of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. Adapting to the society in which it exists is an objective law of religious development. The evolution of religion in the Xinjiang region has also followed this law. Taking Islam as an example, Islam in the Xinjiang region has achieved a relatively good degree of localization, that is, it has achieved a relatively high degree of integration with the various ethnic groups, society, and culture of Xinjiang. However, in terms of Sinicization, compared with Islam in the interior, the degree of Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang is relatively low, prominently manifested in the problem that the foundation of a Chinese perspective and Chinese stance in Xinjiang Islam is not solid enough. After the peaceful liberation of Xinjiang, through the early period of the founding of New China, especially the Xinjiang religious reform of 1958, and the comprehensive implementation of the Party’s religious policy after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, the Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang took solid steps and made significant progress, but the above-mentioned problems have not been completely resolved.

第一，要明确中华文化是新疆各民族文化的根本所在。同所在社会相适应，是宗教发展的客观规律。新疆地区宗教演变也遵循了这一规律。以伊斯兰教为例，新疆地区的伊斯兰教较好地实现了本土化，即实现了与新疆各民族、新疆社会与文化较高程度的融合，但在中国化方面，与内地伊斯兰教相比，新疆伊斯兰教中国化的实现程度较低，突出地表现在，新疆伊斯兰教存在中华视野与中华立场根基不够牢固的问题。新疆和平解放后，历经新中国成立初期尤其是1958年的新疆宗教改革，党的十一届三中全会后全面落实党的宗教政策，新疆伊斯兰教中国化迈出了坚实步伐，并取得重大进展，但上述问题没有完全解决。

How to break through this real-life predicament? At the Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposium and in his important speech during the inspection of Xinjiang in July 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave a systematic answer: “Chinese culture is the foundation of the cultures of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. It is necessary to educate and guide the broad masses of cadres and the people to correctly understand Xinjiang’s history, especially the history of ethnic development, firmly establish the historical view of the Chinese nation, forge the Chinese heart and Chinese soul, and especially to deeply advance the ‘foundation-building’ project for young people, to build the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation.” It is necessary to educate and guide cadres and the masses of all ethnic groups, including religious figures and religious believers, to “firmly establish a correct view of the state, history, ethnicity, culture, and religion. Enhance identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.” Through implementing the project of cultural enrichment of Xinjiang, strengthen the identification with Chinese culture among religious circles and religious believers, and use fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture to infiltrate religious culture, “to resolve the problem of whether to look eastward or westward.”

如何破解这一现实困局？习近平总书记在第三次中央新疆工作座谈会和2022年7月考察新疆重要讲话中，给出了系统回答：“中华文化是新疆各民族文化的根本所在。要教育引导广大干部群众正确认识新疆历史特别是民族发展史，树牢中华民族历史观，铸牢中国心、中华魂，特别是要深入推进青少年‘筑基’工程，构筑中华民族共有精神家园。”要教育引导包括宗教界人士和信教群众在内的各族干部群众，“牢固树立正确的国家观、历史观、民族观、文化观和宗教观。增进对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党与中国特色社会主义的认同。”通过实施文化润疆工程，强化宗教界及信教育群众的中华文化认同，用中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化浸润宗教文化，“解决向东看还是向西看的问题。”

Second, religious circles must keep pace with the times and provide interpretations of religious doctrines that meet the requirements of the era. Xinjiang is located on the northwestern border of the motherland. Historically, it was separated from the interior by mountain passes, vast distances, and inconvenient transportation. Moreover, the governance capacity of the Central Plains dynasties, including modern rulers, over Xinjiang was severely insufficient, and governance performance was relatively low. They placed more emphasis on military fortifications, political rule, and economic trade, lacking sustained and in-depth construction of Chinese culture. At the same time, “with the completion of the Turkification and Islamization of Xinjiang at the end of the 16th century, ‘Islamic-Turkic culture’ grew and developed in Xinjiang, eventually becoming the dominant culture. Xinjiang was thus incorporated into the ‘Islamic-Turkic cultural sphere’ centered on Central Asia and West Asia.” [9]9 The “Islamic-Turkic cultural sphere” refers to a historical and cultural region centered on Central Asia and West Asia, shaped by the spread of Islam and Turkic languages and cultures. Since modern times, with the introduction of “Pan-Islamism” and “Pan-Turkism” into Central Asia and Xinjiang, and with imperialist countries, driven by their own aggressive interests, creating ethnic estrangement in Xinjiang, hyping ethnic self-determination, and attenuating the influence of Chinese culture, the situation of Xinjiang Islam “interpreting the scriptures through Confucianism” [10]10 “Interpreting the scriptures through Confucianism” (以儒诠经) refers to a historical practice, particularly during the Ming and Qing dynasties, where Chinese Muslim scholars explained Islamic doctrines using Confucian terminology and concepts to facilitate understanding within a Chinese cultural context. has never been fully realized.

第二，宗教界要与时俱进，对宗教教义做出符合时代要求的解释。新疆地处祖国西北边陲，历史上，与内地关山阻隔，路途遥远，交通不便，以及中原王朝包括近代统治者对新疆的治理能力严重不足，治理绩效偏低，多重视军事设防、政治统治、经济互市等方面，缺少持续深入的中华文化建设。与此同时，“伴随着16世纪末，新疆突厥化和伊斯兰化的完成，‘伊斯兰—突厥文化’在新疆发展壮大，并最终成为优势文化，新疆也由此纳入中亚、西亚为主体的‘伊斯兰—突厥文化圈’”。近代以来，随着“泛伊斯兰主义”和“泛突厥主义”传入中亚和新疆，以及帝国主义国家出于自身侵略利益图谋，制造新疆民族隔阂，炒作民族自决，衰减中华文化的影响力，新疆伊斯兰教“以儒诠经”的局面一直未能完全实现。

In response to this practical challenge, during his inspection tour of Xinjiang in April 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted extensive and in-depth investigation and research. After visiting religious sites and convening a symposium with religious figures, he clearly pointed out that it is necessary to educate and guide representative figures in religious circles to correctly interpret scriptures, and “to actively promote good ideas that are beneficial to socialist construction, so that the people can live a happy and beautiful life.” “I believe that the vast majority of religious figures in Xinjiang will surely understand the greater good, take a firm stand, and, starting from their own responsibilities, make new contributions to the reform, development, and stability of the motherland and Xinjiang.”

针对这一现实难题，习近平总书记2014年4月在新疆考察期间进行了广泛深入的调查研究，在走访宗教场所、召开宗教人士座谈会后，他明确指出，教育引导宗教界代表人士正确解经，“要积极宣扬有益于社会主义建设的好理念，让人民过上幸福美好的生活”。“我相信，新疆广大宗教界人士一定能够深明大义、站稳立场，从自己的职责出发，为祖国和新疆改革发展稳定作出新的贡献。”

Third, strengthen the construction of the contingent of representative religious figures in Xinjiang, so that they can shoulder the historical mission of the Sinicization of religion. At the Second Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must attach importance to cultivating a contingent of patriotic religious clergy, take effective measures to improve the quality of religious figures, and ensure that the leadership of religious organizations is firmly in the hands of patriotic and religious-loving figures.” The contingent of representative religious figures in Xinjiang is the link and bridge between the Party and government and the religious masses. Their political stance, religious knowledge, and their level of understanding and propaganda of the Party’s and state’s major policies have a direct guiding effect on the religious masses. Therefore, strengthening the construction of the contingent of representative religious figures is a key link in realizing the Sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang.

第三，加强新疆宗教界代表人士队伍建设，担负起宗教中国化的历史使命。习近平总书记在第二次中央新疆工作座谈会上强调：“要重视培养爱国宗教教职人员队伍，采取有力措施提高宗教界人士素质，确保宗教组织领导权牢牢掌握在爱国爱教人士手中。”新疆宗教界代表人士队伍是党和政府联系信教群众的纽带和桥梁，他们的政治立场与宗教学识，以及对党和国家大政方针的理解与宣讲水平，对信教群众具有直接的引领作用，因此，加强宗教界代表人士队伍建设，是实现新疆伊斯兰教中国化的关键环节。

(3) Govern Xinjiang according to law, and effectively raise the level of rule-of-law in Xinjiang’s religious work

（三）依法治疆，切实提高新疆宗教工作的法治化水平

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to adhere to governing Xinjiang according to law. He pointed out, “In the current and future period, to do a good job in Xinjiang, we must hold high the banner of socialist rule of law, promote the spirit of the rule of law, and implement the requirements of law-based governance in all areas of Xinjiang work.” The main points of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discourses on raising the level of rule-of-law in Xinjiang’s religious work are mainly in the following four aspects:

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记反复强调要坚持依法治疆，他指出，“当前和今后一个时期，做好新疆工作，要高举社会主义法治旗帜，弘扬法治精神，把全面依法治国的要求落实到新疆工作各个领域。”习近平总书记关于提高新疆宗教工作法治化水平论述的要点主要有以下四个方面：

First, take governing Xinjiang according to law and governing religious affairs according to law as important work principles, place them in a priority position, and improve the ability to govern according to law. Party organizations at all levels and Party and government cadres are the organizers and responsible subjects of religious affairs governance. To this end, in his speech during his second inspection of Xinjiang, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must effectively enhance the capacity to govern religious affairs.”

第一，把依法治疆，依法治理宗教事务作为重要工作原则，放在优先位置，提高依法执政的能力。各级党组织及党政干部，是宗教事务治理的组织者和责任主体，为此，在第二次考察新疆的讲话中，习近平总书记指出，“要切实提升宗教事务治理能力。”

The rule of law is an important pillar of social governance in a country or region, an important indicator of the modernization of the governance system and governance capacity of a country or region, and the preferred option for solving complex social problems. Due to the combined effects of its unique history, reality, and geographical environment, Xinjiang is the most uniquely complex region in the country in terms of religious issues. For some time, the United States and the West, under the pretext of Xinjiang’s ethnicity, religion, and human rights, have crudely interfered in China’s internal affairs, seriously threatening national ideological security and social stability and unity. Therefore, only by strengthening the governance of religious affairs according to law and enhancing governance capacity can we effectively prevent religious issues from evolving into flashpoints affecting national security, social stability, and ethnic unity, eradicate religious extremist forces, ensure the healthy development of religion, and realize the adaptation of religion to socialist society.

法治是一个国家或地区社会治理的重要依托，也是一国或地区治理体系和治理能力现代化的重要标志，是解决复杂社会问题的优先选项。因其独特的历史、现实及其地缘环境等叠加作用，新疆是全国宗教问题最为独特复杂的地区。一个时期以来，美西方打着新疆民族、宗教和人权的幌子，粗暴干涉中国内政，严重威胁国家意识形态安全与社会安定团结。因此，只有依法加强宗教事务治理，提升治理能力，才能有效防止宗教问题演变为影响国家安全、社会稳定和民族团结的矛盾爆发点，才能铲除宗教极端势力，保证宗教健康发展，实现宗教与社会主义社会相适应。

Second, firmly grasp the basic principles for handling religious issues. That is, “protect the lawful, stop the illegal, curb extremism, resist infiltration, and combat crime.” This principle is an accurate grasp of the increasingly complex objective situation of religious affairs and their handling, an important manifestation of the rule-of-law governance of religious affairs, and a declaration of a zero-tolerance attitude towards religious extremism. This principle is a high degree of integration of political wisdom and rule-of-law wisdom, focusing on the specific analysis of religious issues. Different types of problems are dealt with using different methods; whatever the problem is, that is what is addressed.

第二，牢牢把握处理宗教问题的基本原则。即“保护合法、制止非法、遏制极端、抵御渗透、打击犯罪”。这一原则，是对宗教事务及其处理日趋复杂客观形势的准确把握，是宗教事务治理法治化的重要体现，是对宗教极端主义采取零容忍态度的宣誓。这一原则是政治智慧与法治智慧的高度融合，注重对宗教问题的具体分析，不同性质的问题，采取不同的处理办法，是什么问题，就解决什么。

Third, guarantee the religious needs of the religious masses according to law. At the Second Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must guarantee the normal religious needs of the religious masses according to law, respect the customs of the religious masses, and steadily broaden the legal channels for the religious masses to correctly grasp religious common knowledge.” Respecting and protecting citizens’ freedom of religious belief is a long-term basic state policy of our country. Our country’s policy on freedom of religious belief is successful, but it must also be recognized that, including in Xinjiang, there have been temporary deviations in the implementation of this policy, either being too strict or too lenient towards religious belief. From the beginning of this century to 2016, it was a special period in Xinjiang when illegal religious activities were repeatedly prohibited despite bans, religious extremism was rampant for a time, and violent terrorist crimes were frequent and common. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core responded calmly. It did not simply ban everything regarding Xinjiang’s religious issues, nor did it let them go unchecked. Instead, it dealt with them in a targeted manner, applying policies according to law. It both resolutely and firmly cracked down on the destructive activities of the “three forces” [11]11 The “three forces” (三股势力) is a standard Chinese term for separatism, religious extremism, and terrorism. according to law, and resolutely and firmly guaranteed the normal religious needs of the religious masses according to law, demonstrating firm political resolve and the ability to handle complex issues according to law.

第三，要依法保障信教群众宗教需求。习近平总书记在第二次中央新疆工作座谈会上强调：“要依法保障信教群众正常宗教需求，尊重信教群众的习俗，稳步拓宽信教群众正确掌握宗教常识的合法渠道。”尊重和保护公民的宗教信仰自由是我国一项长期的基本国策。我国的宗教信仰自由政策是成功的，但也要看到，包括新疆在内，这一政策执行过程中，也出现过短暂的对待宗教信仰施之过严或过宽的偏差。本世纪以来至2016年之间，正是新疆非法宗教活动屡禁不止、宗教极端主义猖獗一时、暴力恐怖犯罪多发频发的特殊时期，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，沉着应对，对待新疆的宗教问题不是一收了之，也不是放任不管，而是有针对性地加以处置，依法施策，既坚定坚决依法打击“三股势力”的破坏活动，又坚定坚决依法保障信教群众正常宗教需求，彰显坚定的政治定力与依法处理复杂问题的能力。

Fourth, comprehensively form a religious governance system featuring Party committee leadership, government responsibility, social coordination, public participation, and rule-of-law guarantees. This was a requirement for Xinjiang’s social governance work put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his speech at the Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, and it also applies to the governance of religious affairs in Xinjiang. At the National Conference on Religious Work in December 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed comprehensively forming a new pattern of religious affairs governance featuring Party committee leadership, government management, social coordination, and religious self-discipline. The content and basic requirements of these two discourses by General Secretary Xi Jinping are consistent. This system or pattern is a basic requirement for the rule-of-law governance of religious affairs and an important guarantee for doing a good job in religious work.

第四，要全面形成党委领导、政府负责、社会协同、公众参与、法治保障的宗教治理体制。这是在第三次中央新疆工作座谈会的讲话中，习近平总书记对新疆社会治理工作的要求，也同样适用于新疆宗教事务治理。2021年12月全国宗教工作会上，习近平总书记提出，要全面形成党委领导、政府管理、社会协同、宗教自律的宗教事务治理新格局。习近平总书记的这两次论述的内容和基本要求是一致的，这一体制或格局是宗教事务治理法治化的基本要求，也是做好宗教工作重要保障。

(4) Strengthen the construction of the “three contingents” for Xinjiang’s religious work

（四）强化新疆宗教工作的“三支队伍”建设

Doing a good job in religious work depends on people, and the key lies in the mutual complementarity and formation of an effective working mechanism among the contingent of Party and government cadres, the contingent of representative religious figures, and the contingent of religious studies researchers. For a considerable period after reform and opening up, the contingent of Party and government cadres in Xinjiang’s religious work suffered from insufficient numbers, low overall quality, and unstable teams. The contingent of representative religious figures generally had problems such as low educational levels, unreasonable age structures, poor scripture interpretation ability, and a minority of individuals with serious deviations in political stance. Taking a 2016 survey of the educational background and age of religious figures in the Kashgar region as an example, “the region had a total of 10,647 religious clergy, of whom 5,628 had primary school education or were illiterate, accounting for 53% (in Shufu County, it was 62.4%); 70 had college education or above, accounting for only 0.66%. Very few religious figures had received systematic religious education; for example, 240 had graduated from the Kashgar Regional Scripture School, accounting for 2.25%; 55 had graduated from the Xinjiang Islamic Institute, accounting for 0.5%, totaling only 2.75%. In the Kashgar region, 2,930 religious figures were over 60 years old, accounting for 27.5% of the total.” As of the end of 2022, the above problems had been alleviated to some extent, but were far from being fundamentally resolved. The contingent of religious studies researchers faces problems such as insufficient attention, unstable policy support, insufficient numbers, and the need to improve overall quality.

做好宗教工作，关键在人，关键在于党政干部队伍、宗教界代表人士队伍以及宗教学研究队伍的相辅相成，形成有效工作机制。改革开放后的相当长的一个时期，新疆宗教党政干部队伍存在数量不足，整体水平不高以及队伍不够稳定的问题。宗教界代表人士队伍普遍存在学历层次低、年龄结构不合理、解经能力差以及少数人在政治立场上出现严重偏离等问题。以2016年对喀什地区宗教人士学历与年龄的一项调查为例，“该地区共有宗教教职人员10647名，其中，小学学历及文盲有5628人，占53%（疏附县则占62.4%）；大专及以上学历70人，只占0.66%。经过系统宗教教育的宗教人士寥寥无几，如毕业于喀什地区经文学校的240人，占2.25%；毕业于新疆伊斯兰教经学院的55人，占0.5%，合计只有2.75%，喀什地区宗教人士超过60岁的有2930人，占总数的27.5%。”截止2022年底，上述问题在一定程度有所缓解，但远未得到根本解决。宗教学研究队伍，存在重视程度不高，政策支持不够稳定，队伍数量不足以及整体水平需要提升等问题。

At the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping for the first time put forward the important viewpoint of cultivating a “three contingents” — that is, the goals and tasks for a contingent of Party and government cadres, a contingent of representative figures from religious circles, and a contingent of researchers in religious studies. In July 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Xinjiang, he further clearly pointed out that the construction of the “three contingents” for religious work in Xinjiang must be effectively strengthened, with the specific content including: “We must cultivate a contingent of Party and government cadres who are proficient in the Marxist view on religion, familiar with religious work, and skilled at doing work among the masses of religious believers; cultivate a contingent of representative figures from religious circles who are politically reliable, have religious attainments, can command respect through moral character, and play a role at critical moments; and cultivate a contingent of researchers in religious studies who are ideologically and politically steadfast, adhere to the Marxist view on religion, have a fine academic style, and are good at innovation.” This important discourse clearly points out the main forces to rely on for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era, accurately identifies the respective important responsibilities, long-term construction goals, and the mutually coordinated relationship among the “three contingents” of Xinjiang religious work, which involves both division of labor and synergy, and has great theoretical significance and practical guiding role.

在2021年全国宗教工作会议上，习近平总书记首次提出培养“三支队伍”的重要观点，即党政干部队伍、宗教界代表人士队伍和宗教学研究队伍的目标和任务。2022年7月，习近平总书记在新疆考察时，进一步明确指出，要切实加强新疆宗教工作的“三支队伍”建设，具体内容包括：“要培养一支精通马克思主义宗教观、熟悉宗教工作、善于做信教群众工作的党政干部队伍；培养一支政治上靠得住、宗教上有造诣、品德上能服众、关键时起作用的宗教界代表人士队伍；培养一支思想政治坚定、坚持马克思主义宗教观、学风优良、善于创新的宗教学研究队伍。”这一重要论述，明确指出了做好新时代新疆宗教工作的主要依靠力量，准确标识了新疆宗教工作“三支队伍”各自的重要职责、长期建设目标及其三者之间既有分工，又协同一致的相互关系，具有重大理论意义和实践指导作用。

(V) Resolutely Combat Religious Extremism

（五）坚决打击宗教极端主义

According to the provisions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s *Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism*, “religious extremist forces are a social and political force that uses religion as a cover, spreads the ideological propositions of religious extremism, and engages in terrorist or separatist activities.” This indicates that the issue of religious extremism is neither an ethnic issue nor a religious issue; opposing religious extremism is a serious political struggle. In terms of content, religious extremism, as an ideological proposition, advocates “theocracy,” “religious supremacy,” “the theory of infidels,” and “jihad,” which are completely contrary to Islam’s advocacy of patriotism, peace, unity, tolerance, respect for the Way, and good deeds. In terms of means, religious extremism uses religion as a spiritual tool to win over the masses and expand its power, achieving political goals through violent terrorist means. This is a betrayal of Islam’s method of persuading people to do good and forbidding evil through gentle means, and upholding its rituals in a moderate way, thereby achieving moral education, spiritual comfort, and ultimate concern. The repeated practice of Xinjiang’s struggle against religious extremism has proven that religious extremism is the hotbed that breeds ethnic separatism and violent terrorist criminal activities, and is a malignant tumor that seriously endangers social stability in Xinjiang.

按照上海合作组织《打击恐怖主义、分裂主义和极端主义上海公约》的规定，“宗教极端势力是一股以宗教为掩护，传播宗教极端主义思想主张，从事恐怖活动或分裂活动的社会政治势力。”这表明宗教极端主义问题既不是民族问题也不是宗教问题，反对宗教极端主义是一场严肃的政治斗争。从内容上看，宗教极端主义作为一种思想主张，鼓吹“神权政治论”、“宗教至上论”、“异教徒论”和“圣战论”，这与伊斯兰教倡导爱国、和平、团结、宽容、重道、善行等完全背道而驰。从手段上看，宗教极端主义把宗教当成笼络群众，扩张势力的精神工具，以暴力恐怖手段实现政治目的，这是对伊斯兰教通过温和的方式劝善戒恶、用中正的方式秉持其礼仪，从而实现道德教化、心灵慰藉和终极关怀的背叛。新疆反对宗教极端主义斗争的实践反复证明，宗教极端主义是催生民族分裂、暴力恐怖犯罪活动的温床，是严重危害新疆社会稳定的毒瘤。

In view of the severe situation of the struggle against religious extremism in Xinjiang over a period of time, and to ensure the overall stability of Xinjiang society, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that religious extremism must be resolutely combated according to law, ensuring social stability and lasting peace in Xinjiang. The General Secretary’s main arguments on this point include: First, we must recognize the essence of religious extremism. “Extremist religious ideology and terrorism are our common enemies.” Second, opposing ethnic separatism and safeguarding national unity is the highest national interest and the fundamental interest of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. We must maintain a high-pressure posture of severe crackdowns on violent terrorist activities, strike preemptively, hit as soon as they emerge, strike early, strike small, strike at the budding stage, and deliver a devastating blow with lightning speed and an iron fist, resolutely suppressing the arrogance of violent terrorists, and “not allowing Xinjiang to fall into turmoil or regression.” Third, we must form an inescapable net to combat religious extremism. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must carry out various forms of mass prevention and mass governance activities, strive to fight a people’s war against terrorism, build an impregnable fortress, make violent terrorists ‘rats crossing the street, everyone shouting to beat them,’ and through striking at the very few, educate and unite the vast majority.” Fourth, we must resolutely win the battle against separatism and infiltration in the ideological sphere. Strengthen the Party’s leadership over ideological work in Xinjiang, proactively occupy the positions of propaganda, ideology, and the internet, and eradicate the channels for the spread and infiltration of religious extremism.

鉴于一个时期以来新疆反对宗教极端主义斗争的严峻形势，为确保新疆社会大局稳定，习近平总书记反复强调，必须依法坚定坚决打击宗教极端主义，确保新疆社会稳定与长治久安，总书记这方面的论点主要有：第一，要认清宗教极端主义的本质。“极端宗教思想和恐怖主义是我们共同的敌人”。第二，反对民族分裂，维护祖国统一，是国家最高利益所在，也是新疆各族人民根本利益所在。对暴力恐怖活动，必须保持严打高压态势，先发制敌，露头就打，打早、打小、打苗头，以迅雷不及掩耳之势、用铁的手腕予以毁灭性打击，坚决把暴力恐怖分子嚣张气焰打下去，“不能让新疆陷入动荡、陷入倒退。”第三，要形成打击宗教极端主义的天罗地网。习近平总书记强调：“要深入开展各种形式的群防群治活动，着力打好反恐怖人民战争，筑起铜墙铁壁，使暴力恐怖分子成为‘过街老鼠、人人喊打’，通过打击极少数教育团结大多数。”第四，坚决打赢意识形态领域反分裂、反渗透之战。强化党对新疆意识形态工作的领导权，主动占领宣传思想与网络阵地，铲除宗教极端主义的传播渗透渠道。

II. The Thinking Methods Embodied in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang

二、习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作重要论述体现的思维方法

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era adhere to the use of the Marxist scientific worldview and methodology, are based on the profound changes in the world and national conditions, as well as the new practical requirements of the Party and state work in the New Era, adhere to a problem-oriented approach, and fully embody working thinking methods such as political thinking, innovative thinking, strategic thinking, dialectical thinking, and systematic thinking.

习近平总书记关于做好新时代新疆宗教工作的重要论述，坚持运用马克思主义科学的世界观、方法论，立足世情、国情的深刻变化，以及新时代党和国家工作新的实践要求，坚持问题导向，充分体现了政治思维、创新思维、战略思维、辩证思维与系统思维等工作思维方法。

(I) The Method of Political Thinking

（一）政治思维方法

The method of political thinking is a thinking method that, in the process of the Party’s and the state’s undertakings, when governing certain special regions or issues, considers not only economic and social benefits but also the overall political situation, political security, and political stability. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China has always adhered to a political thinking orientation in its governance strategy and practice in Xinjiang, achieving coordinated and high-quality development between Xinjiang and the interior. This is an important experience in governing Xinjiang.

政治思维方法，就是在党和国家事业发展进程中，对一些特殊区域或问题的治理，既要考虑经济社会效益，也要考虑政治大局、政治安全与政治稳定的思维方法。新中国成立以来，中国共产党在新疆治理方略与实践中，始终坚持政治思维导向，实现了新疆与内地的协调发展、高质量发展，这是新疆治理的一条重要经验。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly pointed out that in doing a good job of all work in Xinjiang, including religious work, we must “calculate more big accounts, fewer small accounts, especially more political accounts and strategic accounts, and fewer economic accounts and immediate accounts.” To do a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, maintain long-term and sustained stability in Xinjiang, and achieve lasting peace and order, the key lies in winning over the hearts and minds of people, including those from religious circles and religious believers. To win over hearts and minds, it is necessary to distinguish the essential differences between religion and religious extremism, and between religious believers and religious extremist forces. The masses of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are our brothers and sisters; religious extremist forces, ethnic separatist forces, and violent terrorist forces are the common enemies of all ethnic groups. “To unite with our brothers and sisters, we must give true feelings and offer sincere hearts; to strike at common enemies, we must tit-for-tat and show no mercy.” Taking winning over hearts and minds as the greatest politics is the core essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s political thinking, reflects the historical materialist view that the masses of the people create history, and is the implementation of the Party’s nature and purpose in Xinjiang’s religious work. This also fully demonstrates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound grasp of complex issues and his superb political wisdom, pointing the direction for practical work.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记多次指出，做好包括宗教工作在内的新疆各项工作，要“多算大账，少算小账，特别要多算政治账、战略账，少算经济账、眼前账。”做好新疆宗教工作，保持新疆长期稳定、持续稳定，实现长治久安，重要的在于争取包括宗教界人士和信教群众在内的人心。要争取人心，就要区分宗教与宗教极端主义、信教群众与宗教极端势力的本质不同。新疆各族群众是我们的兄弟姐妹，宗教极端势力、民族分裂势力和暴力恐怖势力，是各民族共同的敌人。“团结兄弟姐妹，我们要付出真情、献上真心；打击共同敌人，我们要针锋相对、毫不留情。”把争取人心作为最大政治，是习近平总书记政治思维的核心要义，体现了人民群众创造历史的唯物史观，是党的性质、宗旨在新疆宗教工作中的贯彻落实。这也充分展示了习近平总书记对复杂问题的深刻把握，以及高超的政治智慧，为实际工作指明了方向。

(II) The Method of Innovative Thinking

（二）创新思维方法

The method of innovative thinking is a thinking method that discards outdated concepts, ideas, and regulations that are no longer appropriate, advances with the times, adapts measures to local and temporal conditions, forges ahead with determination, and opens up new prospects for undertakings and work. Adhering to innovative thinking is an important experience of our Party in leading China’s revolution, construction, reform, and opening up. Religious work, as an important task of the Party and the state, must also, in accordance with the requirements of the new era and combined with new practices, use innovative thinking to develop work.

创新思维方法，就是抛弃不合时宜的陈旧观念、思想及其规章，与时俱进，因时因地制宜、锐意进取、开拓事业和工作新局面的思维方法。坚持创新思维，是我们党领导中国革命、建设、改革开放的重要经验，宗教工作作为党和国家的重要工作，也必须根据新的时代要求、结合新的实践，用创新思维开拓工作。

As mentioned above, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, whether in terms of the overall cognitive framework or the important viewpoints and major conclusions within them, all reflect General Secretary Xi Jinping’s value pursuit of courageously exploring and continuously innovating. The specific manifestations of his innovative thinking method are: First, taking innovation as a means to do a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. Based on the severe counter-terrorism and stability maintenance situation faced by Xinjiang since the 1990s, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, sizing up the situation, took social stability and lasting peace as the general goal of Xinjiang work, comprehensively elaborated the principles of governing Xinjiang’s religious affairs according to law, and put forward a series of important viewpoints and major conclusions on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, solving major theoretical and practical problems related to Xinjiang’s stability and lasting peace that had long been desired to be solved but had not been solved in Xinjiang’s religious work. This fully reflects General Secretary Xi Jinping’s political insight in discovering and solving problems and his character of innovative thinking. Second, putting forward a complete line of thinking for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, achieving optimization and innovation of work paths, and continuously promoting the adaptation of the Marxist view on religion to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to take root in Xinjiang.

如前所述，习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述，无论是整体认识框架，还是其中的重要观点、重大论断，都体现了习近平总书记勇于探索、不断创新的价值追求，其创新思维方法的具体表现是：一是将创新作为做好新疆宗教工作的手段。基于上世纪九十年代以来，新疆面临严峻反恐维稳形势，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，审时度势，将社会稳定与长治久安作为新疆工作总目标，全面阐释依法治理新疆宗教事务原则，提出做好新疆宗教工作的一系列重要观点、重大论断，解决了新疆宗教工作中长期想解决而没有解决、事关新疆稳定与长治久安的重大理论、实践问题。充分体现了习近平总书记发现问题与解决问题的政治洞察力与创新思维品格。二是提出做好新疆宗教工作的完整思路，实现了工作路径的优化创新，不断推进中国化时代化马克思主义宗教观在新疆落地生根。

(III) The Method of Strategic Thinking

（三）战略思维方法

The method of strategic thinking refers to a thinking method that is good at comprehensively and objectively understanding, thinking about, and handling problems from a long-term and overall perspective. It is the concrete application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism in practical work. Xinjiang’s religious work is unique and complex, and strategic thinking must be strengthened.

战略思维方法，是指善于从长远和全局视角上全面客观地认识、思考和处理问题的思维方法，是辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义在实际工作中的具体运用。新疆宗教工作独特而复杂，必须强化战略思维。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed that to do a good job of all work in Xinjiang, it is necessary, from a strategic and overall perspective, to devise long-term plans, take fundamental measures, build a situation of enduring stability, and achieve lasting peace and order. In September 2020, at the Third Central Xinjiang Work Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping placed “persisting in examining and planning Xinjiang work from a strategic perspective” first among the “eight persistences” that must be achieved in Xinjiang work in the New Era, and included “persisting in the direction of sinicization of religion in China” and “persisting in taking rallying the people’s hearts as the foundation” as important contents of the “eight persistences.” This fully embodies General Secretary Xi Jinping’s strategic thinking in doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. That is, while paying attention to solving general and phased problems in religious work, it places even greater emphasis on solving major problems concerning the overall situation and long-term development of religious work in Xinjiang, such as the sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang, the law-based governance of religious affairs, and the modernization of governance capacity. This highlights General Secretary Xi Jinping’s insight into the development trends of religion in Xinjiang and his foresight in doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang.

习近平总书记反复强调，做好新疆各项工作，必须从战略全局高度，谋长远之策，行固本之举，建久安之势，成长治之业。2020年9月，在第三次中央新疆工作座谈会上，习近平总书记将“坚持从战略上审视和谋划新疆工作”作为新时代新疆工作必须做到“八个坚持”之首，将“坚持我国宗教中国化方向”、“坚持以凝聚人心为根本”作为“八个坚持”重要内容。这充分体现了习近平总书记在做好新疆宗教工作上的战略思维.即在重视宗教工作中一般性问题、阶段性问题解决的同时，更加重视诸如新疆伊斯兰教中国化、宗教事务治理法治化、治理能力现代化等事关新疆宗教工作的全局性、长远性重大问题解决，彰显了习近平总书记对新疆宗教发展趋势的洞察力，做好新疆宗教工作的前瞻性。

(4) Dialectical Thinking Method

（四）辩证思维方法

The dialectical thinking method is a thinking method that insists on using dialectical materialism and historical materialism to understand, analyze, and solve problems. Persisting in the dialectical thinking method means insisting on proceeding from objective reality, seeking truth from facts, insisting on the unity of the two-point theory and the key-point theory, and insisting on viewing problems from the perspective of universal connection and development. Doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang requires being adept at using the dialectical thinking method.

辩证思维方法，就是坚持运用辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义认识问题、分析问题和解决问题的思维方法。坚持辩证思维方法，就是要坚持从客观实际出发，实事求是，坚持两点论和重点论统一，坚持用普遍联系发展观点看问题。做好新疆宗教工作必须善于运用辩证思维方法。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, focusing on the strategic overall situation of national security and social stability and lasting peace and order in Xinjiang, has objectively understood the religious issues in Xinjiang. In April 2014, during his inspection tour in Xinjiang, General Secretary Xi Jinping expressed appreciation for the practice of the elderly Tursun Malaiti, who paid attention to propagating the Party’s good policies when preaching and interpreting scriptures. He pointed out: “As a form of culture, I pay close attention to works on religion; religion has much wisdom in encouraging people to do good, and has many beneficial expositions.” Therefore, “it is necessary to guarantee the normal religious needs of religious believers and firmly unite religious believers around the Party and the government,” giving play to the positive role of religion and religious believers. At the same time, in 2014, Xinjiang revised its regulations on religious affairs. This was a major measure to incorporate religious work into law-based management and to promote the modernization of Xinjiang’s social governance capacity and governance system. It was also a major measure to implement the central government’s strategy of governing Xinjiang according to law, to advance the construction of a law-based Xinjiang, and to promote the modernization of Xinjiang’s social governance capacity and governance system. The above discussion shows that, in doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, General Secretary Xi Jinping is adept at proceeding from reality, seeking truth from facts, scientifically and accurately positioning the role of religion, and viewing and handling religious issues objectively and historically. He is adept at grasping the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction, solving the difficult and long-term problems of religion in Xinjiang, and achieving the dialectical unity of the two-point theory and the key-point theory, and the unity of history and reality.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记着眼于国家总体安全、新疆社会稳定与长治久安的战略大局，客观认识新疆宗教问题。2014年4月，习近平总书记在新疆考察期间，对吐尔逊·马来提老人在讲经解经时注意宣讲党的好政策的做法表示赞赏。他指出：“作为一种文化，我很注意看宗教方面的著作，宗教在劝人向善方面有很多智慧，有很多有益的阐述”。因此，“要保障信教群众正常宗教需求，把信教群众牢牢团结在党和政府周围。”发挥宗教和信教群众的积极作用。同时，2014年，新疆了修订宗教事务条例，这是将宗教工作纳入法治化管理、推进新疆社会治理能力和治理体系现代化的重大举措，也是贯彻落实中央依法治疆方略、推进法治新疆建设、推进新疆社会治理能力和治理体系现代化的重大举措。以上论述表明，对于做好新疆宗教工作，习近平总书记善于从实际出发，实事求是，科学准确定位宗教作用，客观、历史地看待与处理宗教问题。善于抓住主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，破解新疆宗教的难点问题、长远问题，实现两点论和重点论的辩证统一、历史与现实的统一。

(5) Systematic Thinking Method

（五）系统思维方法

The systematic thinking method is a thinking method that, based on the systemic characteristics of objective things, proceeds from the whole, focuses on the interrelation and interaction between the whole and its parts, the whole and its levels, the whole and its structure, and the whole and its environment, and seeks to optimize the overall goal of the system. The purpose of understanding the world is to transform it. Solving the practical problems of the Chinese revolution, construction, reform, and opening up is the goal pursuit and direct purpose of the century-long struggle of the Communist Party of China. As a unified multi-ethnic country, the problems China needs to solve are often extremely complex. As a part of the overall social problem, the religious issue has always been a major issue that the Party and the state need to handle well.

系统思维方法，就是根据客观事物具有的系统特征，从整体出发，着眼于整体与部分、整体与层次、整体与结构、整体与环境的相互关联和相互作用，求得系统整体目标优化的思维方法。认识世界的目的是改造世界，解决中国革命、建设和改革开放中的实际问题，是中国共产党百年奋斗的目标追求和直接目的。我国作为统一的多民族国家，需要解决的问题往往极为复杂。宗教问题作为社会总问题的一部分，始终是党和国家需要处理好的重大问题。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that “doing a good job of Xinjiang work is a major matter for the entire Party and the whole country, and we must firmly establish the thinking of the whole country as a single chessboard.” This means promoting all work in Xinjiang, including religious work, from a systematic and holistic perspective. This is specifically manifested in: using systematic thinking methods to plan and deploy all aspects of religious work in Xinjiang, forming a systematic and effective promotion of religious work itself. At the level of the overall work of the autonomous region and even the national work level, it is necessary to step outside of religion to view and handle religious issues, base oneself on the larger social system, and through governing Xinjiang according to law, uniting Xinjiang through solidarity, enriching Xinjiang through culture, prospering Xinjiang through wealth, and building Xinjiang for the long term, plan for the long term, consolidate the foundation, and systematically do a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. This thinking method fully demonstrates the unique perspective of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang and its guiding significance for practical work.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记多次强调，“做好新疆工作是全党全国的大事，必须牢固树立全国一盘棋思想”。从系统和整体上推进包括宗教工作在内的新疆各项工作。具体表现在：以系统思维方法来谋划和部署新疆宗教各项工作，形成宗教工作自身的系统推进、有效推进。在自治区整体工作乃至国家工作层面，要跳出宗教，看待和处理宗教问题，立足社会大系统，通过依法治疆、团结稳疆、文化润疆、富民兴疆、长期建疆，谋长远，固根本，系统做好新疆宗教工作。这一思维方法充分彰显了习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的独特视野以及对实际工作的指导意义。

III. The Value Implications of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang

三、习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作重要论述的价值蕴含

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang comprehensively and systematically elucidate a series of important theoretical and practical issues concerning doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era, further deepen the understanding of doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang under the new situation, and have important theoretical and practical significance.

习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作重要论述，全面系统阐明了做好新时代新疆宗教工作的一系列重要理论与实践问题，进一步深化了对新形势下做好新疆宗教工作的认识，具有重要的理论意义和实践意义。

(1) Opening Up a New Realm of Ideological Understanding for the Communist Party of China in Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang

（一）开创了中国共产党做好新疆宗教工作思想认识的崭新境界

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, adhering to the guidance of the Marxist view on religion, have both inherited the successful experiences of predecessors and kept pace with the times, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, opening up a new realm of ideological understanding for the Party and the state in doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. This is specifically manifested in the following three aspects:

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的一系列重要论述，坚持以马克思主义宗教观为指导，既继承前人的成功经验，又与时俱进，守正创新，开辟了党和国家做好新疆宗教工作思想认识的新境界，具体表现在以下三个方面：

First, raising the understanding of doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang to a new level. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang combine the Marxist view on religion with the concrete reality of religious work in China and Xinjiang, take as their foundation the great practice of the Party and the state in successfully solving religious problems and promoting the healthy development of religion over a long period, profoundly summarize the beneficial experiences of religious work in Xinjiang, draw lessons from the leftist approach to religion in the later period of Xinjiang’s socialist revolution and construction, especially the lessons from a period at the beginning of reform and opening up when religious management was too lenient, “only emphasizing the implementation of various religious policies while neglecting the government’s constraints on religious affairs and education of religious figures; only paying attention to religious and cultural exchanges after reform and opening up while neglecting the infiltration of foreign religious forces, and even some people understanding freedom of religious belief as freedom of religion, indulging its activities, leading to the rebound and revival of religious activities and the formation of religious fanaticism,”[15]15 This quotation is from an internal Chinese source, likely a policy analysis or academic article, criticizing the overly lenient religious management policies of the early reform and opening up period (late 1970s–1980s) for contributing to a resurgence of religious activity and extremism. corrected the direction of religious work in Xinjiang, and clarified work goals and work ideas. In short, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang have a profound theoretical foundation, rich cultural heritage, and deep historical and practical reflection, and are the latest achievement in the thinking of the Party and the state on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang.

第一，把对做好新疆宗教工作的认识提高到新Shui Ping。习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述，将马克思主义宗教观同中国及新疆宗教工作的具体实际相结合，以长期以来党和国家成功解决宗教问题，促进宗教健康发展的伟大实践为底蕴，深刻总结了新疆宗教工作的有益经验，汲取新疆社会主义革命和建设后期对待宗教左的做法的教训，尤其是改革开放初期一段时间宗教管理施之于宽，“只强调落实各项宗教政策，忽略了政府对宗教事务的约束和对宗教人士的教育；只注意了改革开放宗教文化的交流，忽略了境外宗教势力的渗透，甚至一些人将宗教信仰自由，理解为宗教自由，放纵其活动，致使宗教活动反弹复兴，形成宗教狂热”的教训，校正了新疆宗教工作方向，明确工作目标与工作思路。总之，习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述，具有深厚的理论基础、丰富的文化传承、深刻的历史与现实关照，是党和国家做好新疆宗教工作思想的最新成果。

Second, making new scientific judgments on major issues concerning religious work in Xinjiang. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s major assertions, such as “the largest mass work in Xinjiang is ethnic unity and religious harmony,” that the religious circles in Xinjiang must “solve the problem of whether to look east or look west,” achieve “the sinicization of Islam in Xinjiang,” and implement “enriching Xinjiang through culture” including the religious circles, adhere to a problem-oriented approach, combine breaking with establishing, and radically reform and set things right. These are scientific judgments made on the basis of accurately grasping the reality of religious work in Xinjiang, laying the ideological foundation for rallying broad social consensus and doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, and achieving a historic breakthrough in the ideological understanding of religious work in Xinjiang.

第二，对事关新疆宗教工作重大问题做出新的科学判断。习近平总书记关于“新疆最大的群众工作就是民族团结和宗教和谐”、新疆宗教界要“解决向东看还是向西看的问题”，实现“新疆伊斯兰教中国化”，实施包括宗教界在内的“文化润疆”等重大论断，坚持问题导向，破立结合，正本清源，是在准确把握新疆宗教工作实际基础上，做出的科学论断，为凝聚广泛社会共识，做好新疆宗教工作奠定了思想基础，实现了新疆宗教工作思想认识上的历史性突破。

As discussed above, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang have a broad vision, rich connotations, profound thinking, and a complete system, forming a complete system of ideological understanding on doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang. They are the action guide for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era.

如前所述，习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述视野宏大，内涵丰富，思想深刻，体系完整，形成了关于做好新疆宗教工作完整的思想认识体系，是做好新时代新疆宗教工作的行动指南。

(2) Pointing Out the Direction and Path for Doing a Good Job of Religious Work in Xinjiang

（二）指明了做好新疆宗教工作的方向路径

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has comprehensively and accurately grasped the particularity of religious work in Xinjiang, systematically expounded the work path for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang, including goal orientation, work principles, work focus points, team building, and leadership strength, as well as the five aspects of methodology, providing fundamental guidance and scientific direction for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang in the New Era.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记全面准确把握新疆宗教工作的特殊性，系统阐释了做好新疆宗教工作目标定位、工作原则、工作着力点、队伍建设以及领导力量等工作路径，以及五个方面的方法论，为做好新时代新疆宗教工作提供了根本遵循和科学指引。

Theory originates from practice and in turn guides practice. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xinjiang religious work has been comprehensively advanced, and the face of religious work has taken on a completely new look. This is mainly manifested in: comprehensively strengthening the Party’s leadership over religious work, convening the autonomous region’s religious work conference, with Party committees and governments at all levels significantly raising their level of attention to religious work, and further improving the systems and mechanisms for religious work. Further advancing the work of sinicizing Islam in Xinjiang, forming broad social consensus, entering the field of academic research, and producing a batch of academic research results. Deeply advancing the work of de-radicalization, effectively curbing the spread and proliferation of extremist religious ideology, and accumulating valuable experience, contributing Chinese wisdom to the international community’s resolution of the problem of religious extremism. The intensity and effectiveness of education in fine traditional Chinese culture, advanced socialist culture, and core socialist values have been continuously enhanced. Strengthening the governance of religious affairs according to law, comprehensively implementing the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the State Council’s Regulations on Religious Affairs, and issuing the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Regulations on Religious Affairs. Continuously broadening the channels for religious believers to acquire religious knowledge. Xinjiang has translated, published, and distributed the Quran and the Summary of Sahih al-Bukhari in multiple languages including Chinese, Uyghur, Kazakh, and Kirgiz, and has edited and published the New Compilation of Waz Speeches. Continuously improving the facilities and conditions of venues for religious activities. Perfecting and improving the training system for Islamic religious personnel. The “Five Identities”[16]16 The “Five Identities” (五个认同) refers to identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. of religious figures and the broad masses of religious believers have been continuously strengthened, and the good situation of harmony and stability in the religious field has been continuously consolidated. In January 2022, at the Fifth Session of the 13th People’s Congress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Erkin Tuniyaz, Chairman of the Autonomous Region People’s Government, pointed out in his government work report: “Comprehensively advancing the rule-of-law-based and normalized counter-terrorism and stability maintenance, the overall social situation in Xinjiang is moving from ‘from chaos to stability’ to ‘from stability to governance’. There have been no violent terrorist cases for five consecutive years, and the numbers of criminal cases, public security cases, and public safety incidents have continuously decreased, realizing the Xinjiang people’s long-standing desire and expectation for peace and stability. The sense of security of people of all ethnic groups and their confidence in social stability and lasting peace have continuously strengthened.” These achievements have been attained precisely under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work.

理论源于实践，又指导实践。在习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作重要论述指引下，党的十八大以来，新疆宗教工作全面推进，宗教工作的面貌焕然一新，主要表现在：全面加强了党对宗教工作的领导，召开自治区宗教工作会议，各级党委和政府对宗教工作的重视程度明显提高，宗教工作体制机制进一步完善。进一步推进新疆伊斯兰教中国化工作，形成广泛社会共识，进入学术研究视野，推出一批学术研究成果。深入推进去极端化工作，有效遏制了极端宗教思想传播蔓延，并积累了宝贵经验，为国际社会解决宗教极端化问题贡献了中国智慧。中华优秀传统文化、社会主义先进文化以及社会主义核心价值观教育力度、效度持续提升。依法加强宗教事务治理，全面贯彻落实《中华人民共和国宪法》、国务院《宗教事务条例》，出台《新疆维吾尔自治区宗教事务条例》。不断拓宽信教群众获得宗教知识的途径，新疆已翻译出版发行汉、维吾尔、哈萨克、克尔克孜等多种文字版的《古兰经》《布哈里圣训实录精华》等，编辑发行《新编卧尔兹演讲集》。持续改善宗教活动场所设施条件。健全完善伊斯兰教教职人员培训体系。宗教界人士和广大信教群众的“五个认同”不断增强，宗教领域和谐稳定的良好局面不断巩固。2022年1月，在新疆维吾尔自治区第十三届人民代表大会第五次会议上，自治区人民政府主席艾尔肯·吐尼亚孜在政府工作报告中指出：“全面推进反恐维稳法治化常态化，新疆社会大局正从‘由乱到稳’向‘由稳到治’迈进，已连续5年无暴恐案件，刑事案件、治安案件、公共安全事件持续下降，实现了新疆各族人民多年来对平安稳定的渴望与期盼，各族群众安全感、对社会稳定和长治久安的信心持续增强。”这些成绩正是在习近平总书记关于新疆宗教工作重要论述指引下取得的。

(3) Providing an ideological guide for strengthening the Party’s and the state’s leadership over Xinjiang religious work

（三）为加强党和国家对新疆宗教工作的领导提供了思想指南

Effectively strengthening the Party’s and the state’s leadership over Xinjiang religious work is an inevitable requirement and fundamental guarantee for doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work. And this work is a complex system “involving Party committees, governments, and all sectors of society, including the Party committee’s united front work, organization, and propaganda departments; the government’s religious, public security, state security, civil affairs, ethnic, education, news, publishing, radio and television, cyberspace, finance and taxation, housing and construction, tourism, cultural relics, and fire protection departments; as well as mass organizations such as trade unions, the Communist Youth League, women’s federations, and science and technology associations.”[17]17 This is a quotation from a Party document listing the various government and social bodies involved in religious work. This indicates that strengthening the Party’s and the state’s leadership over Xinjiang religious work is a major social practice activity with comprehensiveness, overall planning, and coordination. This requires adhering to guidance by scientific theory, unifying thought, and forming broad consensus. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party’s and the state’s leadership over Xinjiang religious work has been continuously strengthened. The historical progress achieved in Xinjiang religious work proves that Xi Jinping’s important discourses and their methodology on doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work are the ideological guide for doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work in the New Era.

切实加强党和国家对新疆宗教工作的领导，是做好新疆宗教工作的必然要求和根本保障。而这一工作是“涉及党委、政府和社会各界，包括党委的统战、组织、宣传部门，政府的宗教、公安、国安、民政、民族、教育、新闻、出版、广电、网信、财税、住建、旅游、文物、消防等部门，以及工会、共青团、妇联、科协等群团组织”在内的复杂系统。这表明，加强党和国家对新疆宗教工作的领导，是具有综合性、全局性和协调性的重大社会实践活动，这就需要坚持以科学理论指导，统一思想，形成广泛共识。党的十八大以来，党和国家对新疆宗教工作的领导不断强化，新疆宗教工作取得历史性进步的实践证明，习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述及其方法论，是做好新时代新疆宗教工作的思想指南。

(4) Providing a fundamental basis for correctly understanding and handling incidents involving religious factors in Xinjiang

（四）为正确认识和处理涉及新疆宗教因素事件提供了根本遵循

With the further expansion of China’s opening up, the domestic and international dual-circulation economic development strategy, the Western Development Strategy, paired-up assistance to Xinjiang, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative being deeply advanced, and with the rapid upgrading of transportation and communication technology, Xinjiang is transforming from a relatively closed inland region into a frontier of opening up. Exchanges and interactions between Xinjiang and the interior are becoming more frequent, and integration is continuously deepening. At the same time, misunderstandings and even conflict incidents caused by ethnic and religious factors occur from time to time, both online and offline, impacting ethnic unity, social stability, and national security to varying degrees. More seriously, in dealing with such incidents, some localities have problems of not daring to manage, not being willing to manage, and not knowing how to manage. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the propaganda and education of the Party’s religious policies and religious thought, and establish a correct view of religion. Xi Jinping’s important discourses on doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work, due to their scientific nature, completeness, and targetedness, provide the fundamental basis for correctly understanding and handling incidents involving religious factors in Xinjiang.

随着我国进一步扩大对外开放、国际国内双循环经济发展战略、西部大开发、对口援疆与共建“一带一路”等深入推进，交通通讯技术的快速升级，新疆正在从相对封闭的内陆变成对外开放的前沿。新疆与内地的交往交流更加频繁，交融不断加深。与此同时，因涉及民族、宗教因素引发的误解乃至冲突事件，线上线下时有发生，对民族团结、社会稳定以及国家安全带来不同程度影响，更为严重的是，对待此类事件，一些地方存在不敢管、不愿管和不会管的问题，为此，必须强党的宗教政策、宗教思想的宣传教育，树立正确的宗教观。习近平总书记关于做好新疆宗教工作的重要论述，因其科学性、完整性和针对性，为正确认识和处理涉及新疆宗教因素事件提供了根本遵循。

(5) Forming a classic discourse paradigm for doing a good job of national and ethnic religious work, originating from Xinjiang

（五）形成了从新疆出场做好全国民族宗教工作的经典话语范例

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the process of establishing the Party’s strategy for governing Xinjiang in the New Era, has put forward a series of important theses, which have become classic discourse paradigms that first emerged from Xinjiang and later guided national ethnic and religious work. The main ones include the “Five Identities,” “All ethnic groups should cling together like pomegranate seeds,”[18]18 This is a well-known metaphor used by Xi Jinping to describe ethnic unity, first used in a 2014 speech on Xinjiang work. and “Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.”[19]19 “Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” (铸牢中华民族共同体意识) is a central concept in Xi Jinping’s ethnic policy, formally adopted as a guiding principle at the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017. The above important theses were first proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping for doing a good job of Xinjiang ethnic work, but they were also proposed for doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work. As is well known, in Xinjiang, ethnic issues and religious issues are often intertwined, mutually connected, influencing, and interacting, generating a sense of ethnic identity and a sense of religious identity, whose existence is realistic. However, allowing them to develop unchecked can easily lead to ethnic sentiment and even ethnic separatism, religious supremacy and even religious extremism, impacting national identity and endangering social stability and national security. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the sense of community of the Chinese nation, achieving harmony, consistency, and healthy development among different levels of identity. Over time, the above important theses have become tangible, perceptible, powerful, and effective theoretical expressions and practical requirements for doing a good job of national ethnic and religious work, demonstrating strong theoretical persuasiveness and ideological guiding power.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在创立新时代党的治疆方略过程中，提出一系列重要论断，成为首先从新疆出场，后指导全国民族宗教工作的经典话语范例，主要有“五个认同”、“各民族要像石榴籽一样紧紧抱在一起”与“铸牢中华民族共同体意识”等。以上重要论断，是习近平总书记针对做好新疆民族工作首先提出来的，但这也是针对做好新疆宗教工作提出来的。众所周知，在新疆，民族问题与宗教问题往往交织在一起，相互联系相互影响相互作用，并生成民族认同感、宗教认同感，其存在有现实性。但任其发展，就容易导致民族情绪甚至民族分裂主义、宗教至上甚至宗教极端主义，对国家认同产生冲击，危害社会稳定和国家安全。因此，必须强化中华民族共同体意识，实现不同层次认同的和谐一致，良性发展。随着时间的推移，以上重要论断，已成为全国范围内做好民族宗教工作有形有感有力有效的理论表达与实践要求，彰显了强大的理论说服力和思想引领力。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work: “Religious work has special importance in the overall work of the Party and the state. It concerns the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, concerns the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses, concerns social harmony and ethnic unity, and concerns national security and the unification of the motherland.”[20]20 This is a direct quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work. This is especially true for Xinjiang’s religious work; its status is more important, its role more prominent. As an extremely important component of the country’s religious work, doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work has very important practical significance for Xinjiang and even the whole country. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to Xinjiang religious work, conducted in-depth investigation and research and arduous theoretical exploration on doing a good job of Xinjiang religious work, and made invaluable efforts, reflecting the Party’s and the state’s high regard and warm concern for Xinjiang work. His important thought, and the positions, viewpoints, and methods embodied therein, have important guiding significance and important inspiration for doing a good job of religious work in Xinjiang and the whole country.

习近平总书记在2016年全国宗教工作会议上指出：“宗教工作在党和国家工作全局中具有特殊重要性，关系中国特色社会主义事业发展，关系党同人民群众的血肉联系，关系社会和谐、民族团结，关系国家安全和祖国统一”。新疆的宗教工作尤其如此，地位更加重要，作用更为凸显，作为国家宗教工作的极为重要组成部分，做好新疆宗教工作，对新疆乃至全国都具有十分重要的现实意义。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记高度重视新疆宗教工作，对做好新疆宗教工作进行了深入调查研究、艰辛理论探索，做出了弥足珍贵的努力，体现了党和国家对新疆工作的高度重视和亲切关怀，其重要思想，体现其中的立场、观点和方法对做好新疆以及全国的宗教工作，都具有重要指导意义和重要启示。

Online Editor: Rainbow

网络编辑：彩虹