Answering the call to prayer

African Muslims find gathering spot to worship in Guangzhou, Zhao Xu reports.

For Chinese residents living near narrow, tree-lined Jinrong Street in the center of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Friday is the day when they are treated to a spectacle - a weekly event they can almost set their clocks by.

Everything begins at noon. As if on cue, a group of men appear - some wearing flowing, ankle-length cotton gowns in a variety of hues. As much as their clothes, the men's dark skin tones immediately distinguish them from the locals. They linger briefly near the opening of a side street that leads to a byroad, which in turn leads to their meeting place.