Muhammad Ali Yu Zhengui (余振贵) was a former Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Former Vice President and Secretary General of the China Islamic Association.
Born in Nanjing in February, 1946, of Hui ethnicity, Yu was to become renowned for his research in to the history of Islam in China, as well as ethnic and religious issues.
Graduating from the History Department of Fudan University in Shanghai, Yu was first a teacher for Pingluo Railway Station Middle School in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
This was followed by stints working with the Northwest Coal Mine Machinery Plant in Dawukou and the Ningxia Academy of Social Sciences, between 1974 and 1999.
It was during this latter term that his future as a leading Muslim in China took shape, with Yu becoming a consultant to the China Islamic Association.
Among his many, many other roles, Yu also served as the Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament, Secretary General of the China Religious Peace Commission and Deputy Secretary General of the Asian Religious Peace Commission.
Awarded the titles of “Young and Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contributions” and “Advanced Individual of National National Unity”, Yu was able to enjoy special allowance of the State Council.
During his life, Yu authored more than 40 papers and 10 academic monographs that were published in journals at home and abroad. Among them, “Annotated Summary of Chinese Islamic Documents” (中国伊斯兰文献著译提要; 1993), co-authored with Yang Huaizhong (杨怀中) and signed by Yu himself, sells for ¥298.00 even today.
Yu passed away of illness on 18 August, 2019, while the farewell ceremony for his remains was held at the China Islamic Scripture Institute in Beijing. A loyal Communist Party member, Yu’s death was described by media as a great loss to the Chinese-Islamic academic community.
Upon his passing, those expressing their condolences or attending Yu’s funeral included representatives of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Peace Commission of Chinese Religious Circles, World Religion Research Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese Religious Society, the Ningxia Academy of Social Sciences, Central University for Nationalities, Beijing Union University, Hui Society, Jiangsu-Iraq Association, Ningxia-Iraq Association and the Nanjing-Iraq Association.
