Taiwan is Ready!

Ustaz Hj Ishag Ma, former imam at the Taipei Grand Mosque and an Arabic-speaking tour guide, has led numerous Muslim tour groups in Taiwan. Muslim visitors are usually very curious, often asking: “Are there Muslims in Taiwan? Are there mosques?” Ma, himself a Muslim, responds to such questions by saying, “Of course there are.”

The Taipei Grand Mosque, designed by architect Yang Cho-cheng (who also designed the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall), is Taiwan’s oldest mosque and is a center of faith for Taiwan’s Muslims.

Diverse Taiwan

The history of Muslims in Taiwan can be traced back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, when many Muslim families from the Fujian coast migrated to Taiwan. For example, the famous Ding family of Taixi and the Guo family of Lugang were of Arab ancestry, and although later generations became Sinicized, they still showed signs of their Islamic heritage, such as not using pork when making offerings to ancestors. Most of the Muslim citizens in Taiwan today came over from China after World War II. Former defense minister Pai Chung-hsi, father of the writer Pai Hsien-yung (Kenneth Pai), was a devout Muslim, and the Pai family tomb in Taipei, one of Taiwan’s rare Islamic-­style structures, has been designated a muni­cipal historic site.

Given that Taiwan is not an Islamic country, it is no surprise that the scattered minority Muslim popu­lation has been largely assimilated, so that today there are fewer than 50,000 citizens in Taiwan who are practicing Muslims. However, despite their low profile, they are an essential part of Taiwan’s diversity. In particu­lar, given the emergence of the Islamic market in recent years, they are often on the front lines serving as tourism ambassadors.

To create a welcoming environment for Muslim travelers, the government and the private sector have worked together to adopt a certification system for Muslim-friendly establishments. (courtesy of Ustaz Hj Ishag Ma)

In halal restaurants, it is not permitted for any of the cookware or utensils to come in contact with pork.

Indian curry made without pork or alcohol can be served to Muslims.

Emerging Islamic market

Though Islam is a minority religion in Taiwan, it is the world’s second-largest faith, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, or about one-quarter of the global population, mainly concentrated in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. In recent years there has been a rapid increase in the number of Muslims and a rising Muslim middle class, creating growing opportun­ities for the travel industry. The Global Muslim Travel ­Index 2019 says, “In 2018 it is estimated that there were 140 million international Muslim visitors,” accounting for some 10% of all international travelers.

Taiwan is located near the Islamic countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, and its New Southbound Policy encourages closer interactions with these ASEAN members. Although not many Taiwanese citizens are Muslims, when foreign migrant workers and overseas students are added in, there are about 300,000 Muslim residents in Taiwan. To play host to these people and to welcome international tourists, Taiwan has continually worked to promote a Muslim-friendly environment, even during the travel restrictions imposed over the last two years due to Covid-19. Huang Shih-fang, director of the Inter­national Affairs Division at the Tourism Bureau, says: “Whether in terms of improving the local travel environment or international marketing, foundational work has not stopped despite the pandemic.”

Ustaz Hj Ishag Ma, who is chairman of the Inter­national Muslim Tourism Industry Development Association and also a general consultant to the Taiwan INHART Halal Certification Authority, says that although he has not been able to lead group tours during the last two years, he has instead been giving classes to tourism businesses and government agencies on skills for dealing with Muslim tourists, and doing guidance work to help tourist destinations and facil­ities earn halal certification.

Halal certification

The term “halal” indicates conformity with Islamic doctrines, and halal-certified products (including foodstuffs, medicines and cosmetics) and venues (such as restaurants and tourist attractions) are the first choice for Muslim consumers when traveling away from home.

It used to be difficult for Muslims to travel in Taiwan. Ma Whei-da, director of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration, who is of a Muslim of partly Persian ancestry, recalls the problems faced during family trips when he was small: “At most we could go away for two days, and we had to bring a big pot of braised beef that my mother had made and eat plain steamed buns with every meal.”

Creation of a Muslim-friendly environment began with private-sector tourism businesses, with tour guides playing an intermediary role in communication. To meet the needs of tour groups, Ishag Ma has even brought kitchen utensils along with him and explained cooking methods and eating times to restaurant owners. But he does not find it troublesome to help out his co-­religionists, with whom he shares a sense of identity: “When I help Muslim friends, I’m also helping myself.”

Taiwan began promoting a Muslim-­friendly environment in 2011, when the government began working with Taiwan’s Chinese Muslim Association to promote halal certification. Today many tourist des­tina­tions and transportation hubs in Taiwan provide Muslim prayer rooms and bathroom facilities, making them more Muslim friendly.

Empathizing with Muslim travelers

Many people have the misconception that venerable Islamic practices are out of step with modern life. But many Islamic ideas, such as paying attention to the quality and source of product raw mater­ials, emphasizing food hygiene, and using slaughtering methods that are not cruel to animals, fit right in with contemporary concerns related to public health, food safety, and animal welfare.

For Taiwanese, hosting Muslim tourists and seeking halal certification is like making new friends from a different culture and religion. Ma Whei-da notes that Taiwan’s dominant Han Chinese culture has few cultural taboos and is very tolerant in terms of religion and cuisine, whereas Muslims find it more difficult to sustain their unique way of life. ­Therefore Taiwanese need to be all the more tactful in dealing with Muslim travelers.

“Islamic rules are not harsh, but they are part of everyday life for Muslims. People need to keep this in mind if they sincerely want to be good hosts to Muslim visitors,” says Ma.

However, besides adhering to their religious rules, Muslim tourists are not much different from other travelers in terms of their desire to experience other cultures. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to showcasing local culture while also ensuring a Muslim-­friendly environment. Ma suggests that rather than getting hung up on certification standards, businesses can also try simply to empathize with their Muslim customers in order to genuinely meet their needs.

Ustaz Hj Ishag Ma, himself a pious Muslim, is actively promoting the certification of venues that provide a Muslim-friendly environment.

Taipei 101 is a favorite destination among Muslim visitors to Taiwan. The observation deck on the 89th floor has a sign indicating the direction of Mecca.

In Muslim-friendly bathrooms, hand bidets are fitted to the right of the toilet.

The Taiwanese way of hospitality

Taiwan has diverse tourism resources and con­veni­ent transportation, which are major advantages in attracting Muslim tourists. “Muslims from different places have different travel preferences,” observes Huang Shih-fang. “Muslims from the Middle East come from hot, dry places, so they especially love green environments, whereas Muslims from Indo­nesia tend to prefer big shopping centers. Taiwan has all these things, and fast transportation links as well.”

Thus far the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration has selected 30 represent­ative venues, including restaurants, homestays, and experiential tourism destinations, and matched them with guides and model itineraries designed for Muslims. Ma Whei-da says: “I tell businesses that this is not an exam, but is about changing the way you think. You have to ask yourself whether you want to make friends with these people, and what you need to prepare to make them feel welcome.”

Taiwan is well known for its cultural diversity and inclusiveness, so hosting Muslim visitors is not a problem. As the day approaches when we can open our doors again to international travelers, people are looking forward expectantly and asking “Are we ready?” To this Ma replies optimistically, “We’re ready!” 

Yangmingshan National Park is blessed with a rich and verdant natural environment. Several of its facilities, from visitor centers to tourist farms, have received Muslim-friendly certification, making it an excellent choice for Muslim visitors.