"You're Not My Son Anymore" - The Story of a Japanese Imam
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What was the thing that couldn't make sense to you in Buddhism? How was your families and friends reaction of your becoming Muslim? What is the worst hardship that you go through in Japan about practicing your religion? Then he started asking me why you are still Muslim. Quit being a Muslim. I told him, "No, I can't." Then finally he he goes, "Okay then, you are not my son anymore." Who is Ahmad Maeno? As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. My name is Ahmad Maeno. My given name is still is Naoki. I'm from Japan, originally from Aichi, which is the middle of Japan, and currently living in Chiba next to Tokyo and working in Tokyo.
And I'm the one of the four imams of Japan Muslim Association. Yes. My nafs ego myself awoke woke up at the age of around 13 to 14, and I started asking myself "Where did I come from? Where am I going to? And what am I living for?" And since I was brought up in Japan, I was born and brought up in Japan, the atmosphere or the the closest religion I found was the Buddhism. So I thought if I took that path of the Buddhism, especially the original path of the Buddhism, I thought I could reach to the answers for my quest. I once gave up finding truth through religions, but then I had the chance of going to Australia, Melbourne, as an exchange student for about a year.
Then during my stay there, alhamdulillah, I met one Egyptian family. They treated me very nicely. So knowing them through dealing with them, my biased viewpoint against Islam slowly melted away. So what was the point that you became really convinced about Islam? After, you know, coming to the conviction with Islam that this is the one I was always looking for, I still had fear and anxiety towards my future because I was one of them, one of those who look at Islam with biased viewpoint against. So I knew if I took the final step, you know, overcoming across the deadline of becoming and entering into the world of Islam and Muslims, how would I be looked at in Japanese society, my own society?
I would be looked at very strange weird person. That was the last the reason which made me overcoming across the final line. But then watching the the film of Malcolm X gave me the last push, encouraged me. Alhamdulillah. Because as Malcolm X lived his, you know, previous life as gangster and committing all kinds of sins and whatever, then seeing how beautifully, how greatly he changed himself his life into the life of like someone like saint, very straightforward person. And also seeing at the scenery of the Hajj when he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, which astonished himself.
So many people gather in many places for the purpose of watching soccer or dancing or the concerts for the purpose of having fun. But people here gathering here, so many people are gathering for the sake of worshipping one God. Is there any such praise other than this praise? I said, "No." Then I I finally understood becoming a Muslim does not mean that you have to be a timid person. No, becoming a Muslim is something very cool, very cool and beautiful and great. So alhamdulillah, I took the final step and then embracing Islam. So the very night of that day when I saw the film Malcolm X, I considered myself that was the time I embraced Islam.
I returned back to Allah subhana wa ta'ala when I uh put my knees down and then put my forehead on the floor and prayed to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. How was your families and friends reaction of your becoming Muslim? Well, they misunderstood. Although I told my parents my story of coming to Islam from A to Z, but they misunderstood. Yeah, then that's why in the beginning there was no problem actually, but then when social issue happened in Japan appeared, obviously that was due to some fanatic cult called Aum, those who you know, threw the the killing poison inside the subway trains of the Tokyo.
Although it was nothing to do with Islam, they gave a very negative bad image against having a faith whatsoever, having a particular religion whatsoever. So then there comes matter and issue of ignorance or not knowing about Islam. They they thought Islam could be same or very similar to such fanatic people. When I was wanting to take permission from my father to go study abroad in Kuwait for the sake of, you know, learning Arabic language, I was already entering a university majoring Arabic language in Osaka. Then he said, "No." Then he started asking me, "Why you are still Muslim? Quit being a Muslim." I told him, "No, I can't.
Dad, you know that ever since I embraced Islam, I became Muslim, did I become nuts? Did I become worse than before?" He knows in inside himself it's it's not. I mean, the his son, you know, the didn't become any worse. Then finally he he goes, "Okay then, you are not my son anymore." So that was very shocking statement. And then but since I was still, although I was having a part-time job and so on, but still somehow dependent to my parents, so I had to find some other way to go my life. Then next day I went to the the masjid in Kobe, then consulted my problem with Egyptian imam, then he gave me recommendation letter to Egyptian embassy to get a scholarship in Al-Azhar University.
So I posted that letter to Egyptian embassy, then went back to my parents and then sat together with my parents with all calm atmosphere. Then then alhamdulillah, I found my parents okay accepting me again. So alhamdulillah. Did they, any of them, embrace Islam after you? Still? Unfortunately not. My father who passed away, although his latter time of before dying, he even told me that if I start living with you, I would be ready to embrace Islam or something, but my, you know, family circumstance didn't allow that. So What was the thing that couldn't make sense to you in Buddhism? What could couldn't you find in Buddhism? One of those is reincarnation.
Reincarnation is the thought started from India. And as you know, Buddhism was the successor of the Hinduism or even the Buddha himself was considered to be revolutionist of the Hinduism. So the reincarnation is to see that you have the spirit, you have the soul, and this soul is not never going to die and remains in this world through, you know, many kinds of shapes depending on your works, depending on what you do. So the the previous life you might have been animal or insects or whatever, and then according to your your deeds here this what this life, you may be different creatures. You may be human being or you may be different creatures after the this life.
And likewise, unless you reach the nirvana, unless you reach the true understanding of this whole universe, and then get out of the reincarnation cycle, you continue that way. That is how, you know, the thought of reincarnation is. So the question goes, then the numbers of people different from time to time. So if you say that the soul is keep living, keep, you know, reborn, keep giving a live birth to another, how can you match those? And what's more was the the reason which stopped me from becoming a monk, which is to separate completely from the sacred and normal life or daily life. Yeah, they completely separate definition between the life of faith and daily lives.
So there you find the contradictions. If someone in Japan wants to search for Islam and write some questions about Islam in Google, what should he or she get in return? Well, there are alhamdulillah many. So depending on how deep he or she is interested in knowing Islam. But um there unfortunately there is a some books written by some orientalist who wants to, you know, spread the hatred against Islam among Japanese people. Those books are like a bestsellers sellers of these days something unfortunately. So they may be the first medias that they would find, I I guess. What is the worst hardship that you go through in Japan about practicing your religion and living your life as a Muslim?
Currently? Yeah. Now? Generally. Well, I would say lack of helping hands because like I have alhamdulillah five children, but you know, we don't have I mean my family they they consist including myself seven people. They are only Muslims amongst my families and relatives. So as the case of my wife. So we don't have families hands of families to take care of Community. Yes, family or even the community. I am living in the place called Gyotoku in Chiba where comparatively many Muslims are living, but to my eyes Muslims are gathering at times of prayers, but for their private lives I don't see any links or you know, the You don't find company. bonds, you know.
In your daily life with the other Muslims so much. What was the best attribute of the prophet Muhammad that you know, impressed you the most? His mercy. Especially the time he was coming back from Ta'if trying to call for the people of Ta'if, but being thrown the you know, stones and the against act. Then when he was offered by the angel mountain to you know, crush them, what he said subhanallah, please don't. Perhaps there might be generations after them those who would be believing one God. Subhanallah. Why did you choose to become an Imam? Because no one is doing. Mhm. There are subhanallah very few stays even as Muslims.
There are many people who pronounces the shahada, shahadatain, but Allah knows, God knows how they become after it, after the shahada because there's no system established for taking care of them afterwards, following up. There's no you know, and and those especially those who are coming from outside of Japan, those who are enthusiastic in their activities, they call people and then when they found people uh giving shahada, they go after another targets without taking care of the new ones.
Well well, when I was still young enough after becoming Muslim, there are very limited graduates of the Islamic studies from my elders, but because I was I think that was one of the reasons why I felt distant from their activities. You know, I was not living in Tokyo, so many of them in Tokyo and the very few activities of them reached me, reached people person like me. So I I questioned myself although they've learned and they've given the opportunity to learn the deen of Allah to the heart of youngster like myself that time, they're not doing good enough.
They're not you know, but of course later on I understood that everyone has you know, their own life and they're too busy for their daily lives, but that time they're they're not working good enough. I mean they're they're not making their best efforts or whatever. So then if if no one is doing doing going to do, I have to do it. What do you think the reason is people attack Islam so violently, so you know, ruthlessly? What is the reason even in Japan you see the results of opinion, one of the reasons for that is because they know, they understand that Islam is true.
And because they understand straight away inside themselves the after knowing, recognizing Islam as truth, they know if they have to accept it, but if if they accept it it'll be burden on them. So they they act with hatred and you know, against it because you know, the without the teachings and the the education of Islam our nafs becomes very fat and huge and you know, powerful against us. Is there anything you want to add? Oh, please.
If you were a man or brother and sisters, please don't forget to pray for me and for my family and especially for my mother's Islam and also the mother of my wife and and my brother in kinship and all you know, similar circumstance people like their our parents. Many of the parents of people like me leave as converts are still not Muslims, so please pray for us. Thank you. Jazakallah khair.
And I'm the one of the four imams of Japan Muslim Association. Yes. My nafs ego myself awoke woke up at the age of around 13 to 14, and I started asking myself "Where did I come from? Where am I going to? And what am I living for?" And since I was brought up in Japan, I was born and brought up in Japan, the atmosphere or the the closest religion I found was the Buddhism. So I thought if I took that path of the Buddhism, especially the original path of the Buddhism, I thought I could reach to the answers for my quest. I once gave up finding truth through religions, but then I had the chance of going to Australia, Melbourne, as an exchange student for about a year.
Then during my stay there, alhamdulillah, I met one Egyptian family. They treated me very nicely. So knowing them through dealing with them, my biased viewpoint against Islam slowly melted away. So what was the point that you became really convinced about Islam? After, you know, coming to the conviction with Islam that this is the one I was always looking for, I still had fear and anxiety towards my future because I was one of them, one of those who look at Islam with biased viewpoint against. So I knew if I took the final step, you know, overcoming across the deadline of becoming and entering into the world of Islam and Muslims, how would I be looked at in Japanese society, my own society?
I would be looked at very strange weird person. That was the last the reason which made me overcoming across the final line. But then watching the the film of Malcolm X gave me the last push, encouraged me. Alhamdulillah. Because as Malcolm X lived his, you know, previous life as gangster and committing all kinds of sins and whatever, then seeing how beautifully, how greatly he changed himself his life into the life of like someone like saint, very straightforward person. And also seeing at the scenery of the Hajj when he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, which astonished himself.
So many people gather in many places for the purpose of watching soccer or dancing or the concerts for the purpose of having fun. But people here gathering here, so many people are gathering for the sake of worshipping one God. Is there any such praise other than this praise? I said, "No." Then I I finally understood becoming a Muslim does not mean that you have to be a timid person. No, becoming a Muslim is something very cool, very cool and beautiful and great. So alhamdulillah, I took the final step and then embracing Islam. So the very night of that day when I saw the film Malcolm X, I considered myself that was the time I embraced Islam.
I returned back to Allah subhana wa ta'ala when I uh put my knees down and then put my forehead on the floor and prayed to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. How was your families and friends reaction of your becoming Muslim? Well, they misunderstood. Although I told my parents my story of coming to Islam from A to Z, but they misunderstood. Yeah, then that's why in the beginning there was no problem actually, but then when social issue happened in Japan appeared, obviously that was due to some fanatic cult called Aum, those who you know, threw the the killing poison inside the subway trains of the Tokyo.
Although it was nothing to do with Islam, they gave a very negative bad image against having a faith whatsoever, having a particular religion whatsoever. So then there comes matter and issue of ignorance or not knowing about Islam. They they thought Islam could be same or very similar to such fanatic people. When I was wanting to take permission from my father to go study abroad in Kuwait for the sake of, you know, learning Arabic language, I was already entering a university majoring Arabic language in Osaka. Then he said, "No." Then he started asking me, "Why you are still Muslim? Quit being a Muslim." I told him, "No, I can't.
Dad, you know that ever since I embraced Islam, I became Muslim, did I become nuts? Did I become worse than before?" He knows in inside himself it's it's not. I mean, the his son, you know, the didn't become any worse. Then finally he he goes, "Okay then, you are not my son anymore." So that was very shocking statement. And then but since I was still, although I was having a part-time job and so on, but still somehow dependent to my parents, so I had to find some other way to go my life. Then next day I went to the the masjid in Kobe, then consulted my problem with Egyptian imam, then he gave me recommendation letter to Egyptian embassy to get a scholarship in Al-Azhar University.
So I posted that letter to Egyptian embassy, then went back to my parents and then sat together with my parents with all calm atmosphere. Then then alhamdulillah, I found my parents okay accepting me again. So alhamdulillah. Did they, any of them, embrace Islam after you? Still? Unfortunately not. My father who passed away, although his latter time of before dying, he even told me that if I start living with you, I would be ready to embrace Islam or something, but my, you know, family circumstance didn't allow that. So What was the thing that couldn't make sense to you in Buddhism? What could couldn't you find in Buddhism? One of those is reincarnation.
Reincarnation is the thought started from India. And as you know, Buddhism was the successor of the Hinduism or even the Buddha himself was considered to be revolutionist of the Hinduism. So the reincarnation is to see that you have the spirit, you have the soul, and this soul is not never going to die and remains in this world through, you know, many kinds of shapes depending on your works, depending on what you do. So the the previous life you might have been animal or insects or whatever, and then according to your your deeds here this what this life, you may be different creatures. You may be human being or you may be different creatures after the this life.
And likewise, unless you reach the nirvana, unless you reach the true understanding of this whole universe, and then get out of the reincarnation cycle, you continue that way. That is how, you know, the thought of reincarnation is. So the question goes, then the numbers of people different from time to time. So if you say that the soul is keep living, keep, you know, reborn, keep giving a live birth to another, how can you match those? And what's more was the the reason which stopped me from becoming a monk, which is to separate completely from the sacred and normal life or daily life. Yeah, they completely separate definition between the life of faith and daily lives.
So there you find the contradictions. If someone in Japan wants to search for Islam and write some questions about Islam in Google, what should he or she get in return? Well, there are alhamdulillah many. So depending on how deep he or she is interested in knowing Islam. But um there unfortunately there is a some books written by some orientalist who wants to, you know, spread the hatred against Islam among Japanese people. Those books are like a bestsellers sellers of these days something unfortunately. So they may be the first medias that they would find, I I guess. What is the worst hardship that you go through in Japan about practicing your religion and living your life as a Muslim?
Currently? Yeah. Now? Generally. Well, I would say lack of helping hands because like I have alhamdulillah five children, but you know, we don't have I mean my family they they consist including myself seven people. They are only Muslims amongst my families and relatives. So as the case of my wife. So we don't have families hands of families to take care of Community. Yes, family or even the community. I am living in the place called Gyotoku in Chiba where comparatively many Muslims are living, but to my eyes Muslims are gathering at times of prayers, but for their private lives I don't see any links or you know, the You don't find company. bonds, you know.
In your daily life with the other Muslims so much. What was the best attribute of the prophet Muhammad that you know, impressed you the most? His mercy. Especially the time he was coming back from Ta'if trying to call for the people of Ta'if, but being thrown the you know, stones and the against act. Then when he was offered by the angel mountain to you know, crush them, what he said subhanallah, please don't. Perhaps there might be generations after them those who would be believing one God. Subhanallah. Why did you choose to become an Imam? Because no one is doing. Mhm. There are subhanallah very few stays even as Muslims.
There are many people who pronounces the shahada, shahadatain, but Allah knows, God knows how they become after it, after the shahada because there's no system established for taking care of them afterwards, following up. There's no you know, and and those especially those who are coming from outside of Japan, those who are enthusiastic in their activities, they call people and then when they found people uh giving shahada, they go after another targets without taking care of the new ones.
Well well, when I was still young enough after becoming Muslim, there are very limited graduates of the Islamic studies from my elders, but because I was I think that was one of the reasons why I felt distant from their activities. You know, I was not living in Tokyo, so many of them in Tokyo and the very few activities of them reached me, reached people person like me. So I I questioned myself although they've learned and they've given the opportunity to learn the deen of Allah to the heart of youngster like myself that time, they're not doing good enough.
They're not you know, but of course later on I understood that everyone has you know, their own life and they're too busy for their daily lives, but that time they're they're not working good enough. I mean they're they're not making their best efforts or whatever. So then if if no one is doing doing going to do, I have to do it. What do you think the reason is people attack Islam so violently, so you know, ruthlessly? What is the reason even in Japan you see the results of opinion, one of the reasons for that is because they know, they understand that Islam is true.
And because they understand straight away inside themselves the after knowing, recognizing Islam as truth, they know if they have to accept it, but if if they accept it it'll be burden on them. So they they act with hatred and you know, against it because you know, the without the teachings and the the education of Islam our nafs becomes very fat and huge and you know, powerful against us. Is there anything you want to add? Oh, please.
If you were a man or brother and sisters, please don't forget to pray for me and for my family and especially for my mother's Islam and also the mother of my wife and and my brother in kinship and all you know, similar circumstance people like their our parents. Many of the parents of people like me leave as converts are still not Muslims, so please pray for us. Thank you. Jazakallah khair.