Today I have a special guest who is far away from Japan Here is Sensei Sugimoto and his wife Pur Here, Sensei Sugimoto tells how his spiritual journey made him choose to know Islam more deeply. Even though he grew up and grew up in Japanese culture. Until finally, he experienced an experience about God that made him have a call to convey the message of the Qur'an in Japan.
This is our neighbor's story. Hi, this is me Daniel, your neighbor. Let's start.
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And of course, if you have bought our merchandise, use it and upload it to your Instagram, maybe you can tag us on Instagram at Daniel Mananta Network, and we can repost it with your cool style. Well, now we have a neighbor who is so far from Japan, guys. This is Sensei Sugimoto. Hello Sensei, konnichiwa.
Konnichiwa. And also, Buu. Pur, his wife. So, how are you? Alhamdulillah, I'm good.
Amazing, thank you so much for making the time. My pleasure. Sensei Sugimoto and Buu Pur, happen to live in Japan, right?
Right. Not in Indonesia, right? And I will speak English with Sensei Sugimoto, and you can check the subtitle later, just click it, there's a CC button, click it, and there will be a subtitle later, where we... Maybe you can read the speech of Sensei Sugimoto in the subtitle.
Okay, so this is, to put it bluntly, they say Sensei Sugimoto but actually it's Ustad Sugimoto, if it's in Arabic. Yes, that's right. Buut if it's in Japan, because Ustad is in Arabic, it's called Sensei. This is interesting. Buut in Indonesia, it's called Ustad or Sensei?
Sensei. Sugimoto Sensei. People call me Sensei. Still Sensei?
Yes. Not an Ustad if you are in Indonesia. No. If you are a teacher, what is your name?
I am basically a guru ngaji. So I am called Buu'pur. Buu'pur.
Okay. Sorry, what is the difference between a guru ngaji and an ustazah? Usually ustazah means a teacher in Arabic. Buut usually I am more like Buu'pur.
Buecause for me, Ustazahah is like someone who has a high level of knowledge. Buut actually, Ustazahah is a teacher. A teacher?
A teacher. Buut sometimes I get called Ustazahah. Like, I don't have the level of Ustazahah.
So, just call me Buu Pur. Okay, Buu Pur. And we will talk about it.
You know the reason why I invite... What you guys here is really to get to know you better, I want to know you better. And of course in Japan they have a movement called Torino Muslim. Tonarino Muslim.
Tonarino Muslim. Tonarino Muslim. My neighbor is Muslim.
So this is Tonarino Daniel, your neighbor. So this is how we become neighbors, maybe we can be together. We can exchange thoughts, we can talk, we can chat.
I just want to get to know you better. And of course, we want to talk about our favorite subject, God. So, Sugimoto sensei, first, how did you become a Muslim? So, I'm originally from Seki City, Gifu Prefecture. I was just born and raised up.
a normal just Japanese family. Japanese family, usually it's Buuddhism or Taoism? Yeah, generally Shintoist. Shinto. Yeah, or Buuddhist.
Yeah, our family is Buuddhist. Okay. Yes, but just name, you know, that is a normal life.
So, however, when I was university student, that time 19 years old, I met a Muslim student from Buangladesh. Yeah, that was for me the first time to see a Muslim in Japan. Then we made friendship. Then he invited me to visit his hometown in Buangladesh. Just one week.
So I'm interested in different culture, so I just visited just for one week. Buut, you know, it was 1996, so I got very, like, big culture shock. When I just arrived, you know, there are so many, like, Wana Wana Misukinsanga, I mean, poor people there, Buanya come.
Buut there are good culture shock also. So that is, they have very good hospitality, the friendliness, and their family value. It's very strong. I mean, the family bond is very strong.
Yeah. Which is almost lost in Japan, especially recently. Like, population in Japan is decreasing. Yeah.
Buecause young generation don't want to marry. Yeah. Don't want to have children, right?
Buut in Buangladesh, you know, they have very strong family tie. And then they have many children also. Natural, innate nature. It's the normalcy for you to have so many children.
Then because they are Muslim, so maybe I was thinking why they maintain this culture. So because they are Muslim, maybe they are based on Islamic value. So after come back to Japan, I found the Quran in Japanese language. Oh you found one? Yeah, in 1996 there was no internet.
time so I want to find information Islam so I have to go to library or the bookstore so I found the Quran this Quran is a new translation I myself and dr. Mizutani another translator translated okay but the previous translation so I just found and I just start reading so so different so unique I was not interested in any other religious books before. Buut this book is something so different. I also read so many books. My major is social science.
So politics and economics, management, psychology, and all, you know, anthropology, sociology, different, different books I read. Buut this is something very different. Why different? It's the very beginning of this chapter.
In the very second chapter of the very beginning, it says that which means this is a book without any doubt or any suspicion, mistake. So which human being on earth can claim this? The very beginning of the book. Buecause the scientists, especially those who are more and more great scientists, cannot say like that. Buecause maybe later on, Maybe new theory will be found.
Yeah. So maybe your theory, that person's theory will be replaced. So no one dare to say that, oh, this is a book without any doubt, no mistakes or error. So this is something very different. The beginning.
Yeah. So that is the beginning of the attraction. So I start reading. I just found two new concepts for me.
Okay. That is the concept of Ahira. Ahira is a life after death.
Yeah. And then concept of Tauhid. Tauhid, the oneness of God. The oneness of God.
God, yeah. Tauhid in Arabic. So these new concepts are totally new. So in Japan, people normally they believe in reincarnation?
Yeah, Buuddhists. Buuddhism, they believe in reincarnation. And many gods.
Yes, that's right. So quite opposite, right? Yeah, that's why I like it. Buecause this is a new concept.
Yeah, it's good. Yeah, good. So the number one is Ahira. Ahira is the life after death. So including myself, and I think most of the Japanese people, they don't believe life after death, which means this life is the end.
So nothing is waiting outside. Well, but this Quran is repeated again and again. Okay, this life is not the end.
The life to come. Yeah, so what is there? So... Even the Christians believe there is heaven and hell. Correct.
So in Arabic it says, Jahannam Jahannam. Okay, so then how is it possible to believe it? Buecause we cannot see, this is a gaib, we call gaib is unseen.
So unseen means we cannot disprove also. So that's why probability of existence is 50-50. Just logically I was thinking.
Okay, so 50% it means exist. 50% not exist. So 50% existence is quite high, high ratio for me that I'm thinking. Which means not only heaven, but hellfire also there.
So if I don't prepare, if this word of God is true, then it's dangerous. So it's... At that time, Sensei Sugimoto was just thinking, just in case heaven is real. Yes, just in case. Just in case, if heaven is real, I'll take the safe way.
Just in case. Buecause I cannot really prove it, right? So I cannot reject also.
So what to do if this word of God is true? So let's say now, on the other hand, there's heaven. Heaven means... Endless paradise, endless bliss, the happiness.
So it's also a very good concept. Okay, so how to enter paradise? How to avoid hell? So that's the next question.
So Quran is clearly mentioned in chapter 4, verse 13, which mentioned, تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يُتِ إِلَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِرُهُ جَنَّةٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِيَ الْأَنْهَارِ خَارِدِنَا فِيهَا Which means that this is a limit set by Allah. Those who obey Allah, and obey the messenger of Allah, Allah will put them into the paradise under which rivers flow. And they will live there forever. So it means the methodology to enter paradise to obey Allah, obey his messenger.
So this is something clear mentioned. So the next question is, who is Allah? Buecause we don't have the concept of Allah in the Japanese history.
We don't have this concept. So just I start reading. And all the time this Quran is reminding name of Allah And then there is no worthy of worship but Allah And then remembering Allah And be conscious of Allah Like zikrullah, ittakullah So many words are there To remind people to remember Allah Well, simply Allah is just oneness of God Just one God, simply Buut as you mentioned Japanese people believe many gods, right? So that's the problem So when we say that there is Non-worthy of worship but Allah, oh, Japanese people feel like, oh, you're very exclusive, you're intolerant, like, you know, oh, you're very like narrow-minded, like, oh, how come you only select only one God? We are accepting many gods, right?
Buut later, after I realized that, after reading the Quran, the concept of God is completely different from the Japanese context. Yeah, when we say the one God and many gods, This same word we use, God, right? Buut indicating totally different. Why is that? Yeah, so the first, when you say one God, means, let's say, Allah is fine.
The creator, the creator, okay? Buut when we say many gods, what is gods? So I researched.
My major was anthropology, ethnologist. So I checked all the previous research done by Japanese ethnologists. or anthropologist, they research about Shintoism. Shinto is the one which believe many gods. So now after research, I found that these gods actually indicating the spirits, the jin, in Arabic called spiritual energy.
So Japanese people believing something very strong spiritual energy. This could be a form of snakes, dragons, for example, fox. Dogs, monkeys. So when we say Jinja, Jinja means shrine, of the Shinto shrine, we can find so many artifacts of these animals.
And these are all the symbols of actually the Jin. It's a manifestation of the spirits. Actually, the root is the spirit. That is called the Jin in Arabic. Okay, so if Jin, if the many gods indicate Jin, then actually Muslims also believe The existence of jinns, existence of spiritual beings.
Yeah. So which also mentioned chapter 72 is the Surat al-Jin. The chapter is the jin. Okay.
The title of the book, the chapter is spirits. Hmm. Okay, so it's no problem to have many jinns, many gods.
Hmm. Buut only difference is Muslims do not worship the jin. Yeah.
Buut only worship the creator, the creator of jin. Hmm. Creator of human being, creator of the angels.
Right. Okay, so now understand the difference. Okay, so if we say that there is no other worship but Allah, okay, so only Allah is a creator. Any other thing is creation. So we don't worship the creation.
Why? Buecause creation has a limitation, and it will die, or maybe broken, or decrease or increase, very unstable. So when we worship something unstable, We become very unstable. That's why Allah ordered us not worship creation. You become very unstable.
So you worship something stable, completely stable, never broken or disappear or die like that. So I realized, oh, this is a concept of, very basic concept of Allah. That is something understandable.
Buut for the Japanese people, because the Quran is not yet reached in Japanese society. So when we see some supernatural phenomenon like power, people observe or people cannot distinguish this is Allah's power or the power of jinns. Buecause the jinns, the supernatural, like spiritual being also, they have some strong power which we cannot see.
And Allah's power also we cannot see sometimes. Power itself. So that's why they cannot distinguish. So they're mixed.
Buut when we read the Quran, we can distinguish. Oh, Allah is a creator. And the other thing, the creation, including the spirits. So because of that, I mean, it's so different. It's two extreme opposite of concept, right?
One has many gods. One has one God, the creator, right? the creator who created all these gods.
One has reincarnation, the other one is heaven and hell, the afterlife. How old were you when you found that out? Oh, that was 19 years old. 19 years old.
19 years. So that means the whole 19 years old of your belief system, it all suddenly becomes a lie? Yeah.
I mean, well, for me, religion is not... part of my life until 19. Yeah. It's like just totally indifferent.
I'm not interested in religion. So every year you don't go to Shinto temple? No, no, no.
Just cultural. For example, in the Buuddhist temple, like one year, they give some mochi. Mochi is a rice cake. Yeah.
They distribute. So we learn small, you know, I catch the mochi. Yeah.
Just play just around. There are no spiritual lessons, moral teachings. Nothing, just culture.
Ah, okay, okay. So, I mean, like, I've been to Japan. I've been to one of the temples as well. You have the, you know, people actually sound the bell or, you know, with the washing.
Many rituals, yes. Many rituals and everything. Buut you don't do that?
Ah, no, no, no. Well, the thing is that when I realized this difference, the many gods and then the one god, It's not really, I mean, the clashing, contradicting. Yeah. Buecause these many gods indicate many genes.
So Muslims also believe existence of many genes. While there is one God, the creator. So actually the Shintoism and Islam actually coexist.
Oh, interesting. Can coexist. Yeah.
Buut only difference is only one thing. The people, Muslims, do not believe, I mean, do not worship. Worship means if you have any request.
want to overcome any issues, we don't request to jinns. We request to the creator. Only this difference.
Buut in Japanese people, when they go to the shrine, they give some coins and some offering food and they deal with the jinns. Jin has two jinns. I mean, the one is good jinns and the bad jinns.
Buad jinns called the shaitan, satan. So it will give the bad influence to the human being. So that from long time ago, The Shinto priests, they have very special ability to see the Jin, to see the spirits, and they can communicate. Even there is a woman priest who can just, what do you call, like possessed by the Jin, can speak the word of spirits.
So they have that kind of spiritual skills, ability. And then they have some skill to expel. The bad influence or bad genes or the bad spirit, so they have certain rituals. Still people are practicing or believing. So giving food and giving money to deal with these bad spirits to expel the bad influence.
So it's a kind of dealing place. The Shinto shrine is like we're asking to bad genes or please do not give us any bad impact to us, you know. Just keep us away. Yeah. Yeah, right?
Yeah. So it's a kind of dealing place. On the other hand, there are good jinns, like dragons, even China.
They believe dragon is like a fortune animal. So it's come to Japan also. Buut this is a kind of, I mean, for us Muslims, this is a kind of superstition. However, if they are jin, jin also can give some good impact. They have some power also.
So they give food and coins. So they're expecting some good fortune happens to them. So that is a practice of Shintoism. After you found Islam when you were 19, and then especially someone who came from, you know, your majority, your major was social science.
Yeah, social science, anthropology. Anthropology, which is very logical. And now you found Quran, which is very supernatural. Yes.
How does that, like, how did that fight against your head? In the Quran, even the Buible also, there are some parts we cannot really science, okay? Unseen things, for example. Even the existence of God, we cannot science, right?
We cannot science God. We cannot science the afterlife. This is all guide the unseen.
However, in the Quran, the uniqueness of Quran, we can find so many description of nature. How the universe was created, started, for example. What is the source of the milk, you know, the cow milk, where it comes from?
It's actually written in the Quran. How the baby is developed in the womb of the mother, for example. And even there is the famous story, even the Buible, that Sodom and Gomorrah, right?
Sodom and Gomorrah, yeah, this story. How this city was destroyed. You know, the main cause.
was not written in the Buible, but written in the Quran. So that is an asteroid, a comet, which is actually is very huge impact, give impact. Yeah. So destroy sort of. Yeah, destroyed.
Yes. So it's actually written in the Quran, for example. Buut this is recently found scientifically because it's revealed in the seventh century and then maintained, I mean, without change for the 1400 years. So seventh century, we don't have any telescope. or we don't have any microscope.
Yeah. So how you can check what is the ingredient of the milk, what is going on in the mother's womb, is quite miraculous. If a human being can tell without any mistake, quite miraculous. So that's why even we can have some, you know, the natural description of nature, which we can also prove.
This book is not simply something only spiritual thing. Even scientifically, we can investigate. That is the uniqueness of the Quran. So how long? I mean, that was when you were 19 years old.
It took to embrace Islam, right? To embrace. Yeah, that's a very good question.
So it took one year. Yeah, so the first time I just read, went through the whole books, it's like a whole book is 600 pages long. And then I try to find any like mistakes or dangerous teachings, you know, strange teachings. I investigate. Yeah.
Of course, I have many questions, but I ask Muslim friends, they answer me. Okay, so after just I read and read, then it took one year. After one year, I realized that there are no more questions at that time. Then, well, I don't have any problems. So what to do next?
Buecause Islam is a faith, it's a belief, religion. So not just reading the book. So, have to have practice, experience.
So that's why after one year, I feel like I want to experience Islam. I want to know what is the internal knowledge or real experience. It would be personal experience.
What is actually belief? What we understand the outcome of belief. So I want to know.
So that's why I make shahada means I embrace Islam. So that's the process. It's so beautiful because I know a lot of people, maybe the audience knows that, like Sensei Sugimoto said, he wants to experience. Many people don't reach the stage of experiencing because they're stuck in the ritual stage.
They say, this is the religion that my parents have passed down, I'll just go with it. Buut there's a moment that actually, you have to experience it yourself, right? Having that experience, that makes it so beautiful.
Right? Maybe you can add something from Buupur. Right. So, even though I was born Muslim, but when I got married to him, I learned a lot about it. Even, he translated the Quran for real, because this is an important news.
And this is the right of all humans to read. Surah cinta dari Allah. Jadi hak mereka harus dipenuhi.
Sehingga bukan untuk mengajak mereka kepada Islam, tetapi memberi kesempatan mereka minimal berita ini harus sampai. Kepada seluruh penduduk bumilah. Jadi ketika di Jepang itu, justru saya mendapatkan pengalaman, oh iya, aku lahir sebagai Muslim. Buaca Quran pintar, guru ngaji.
Tapi belum pernah yang membaca Al-Quran dari awal sampai akhir terjemahnya saja. So it's always like reading, skipping, skipping. For example, I choose the letter and then read the meaning. So in the beginning and the end, it's not a slur. From the beginning to the end, what did Allah say to me?
I memorized a lot of the Arabic. Of course, for us, it's a lot of reward. Buut the application, actually Allah is... I never read the whole Quran except when I arrived in Japan.
So after that, I was like, oh my God, I just know everything. So I told my friends, try to read the Quran, just the translation with the same adab. Buecause the translation is also the word of Allah, the word of Allah.
So feel how the verse is. He talked about me, about me. So it was all in my head and I felt like I was experiencing it. I don't understand Arabic, but by reading Arabic I already got the reward.
For example, one letter, ten good deeds. I'm convinced. Buut there's no change, there's no action. That's why when Japanese people now read the content of the Qur'an, in the language that they understand, it's... They, some people, entered Islam.
They haven't met a teacher, they haven't met a Muslim, but they only got the Qur'an, read it. Buecause it's called the word of Allah, until today it's a miracle. We believe that the Holy Buook is a miracle from Allah.
That's why I learned from Buang Salman, many things that I experienced earlier. So if we understand, there are actions. Islam is used when we live.
Okay, so just I want to talk about God a little bit more. Is it okay? Of course.
How I explain to Japanese people, which believe in many gods, right? There are so many arguments. Buecause you don't want, kita ga mau, we don't want Allah to be just the additional god.
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, but they think that just one of them. Exactly. Yeah, but it's totally different. Yeah.
Okay, so like how I explain to the... Let's say oneness with God. A very simple example.
For example, now we have in the room, in the house, okay? We can have a bell. Somebody push a bell and a beep, right? There's sound. So just we imagine that those were staying home or somebody visited us or somebody came, right?
So the question is how many people came, maybe? We don't know because they just pressed the bell. Exactly, exactly.
Buut at least we need one. Okay. Yeah, to get that sound, right? Then the exact number we don't know.
So how we can confirm, right? So we have to open the door, yes, to check. Otherwise to see the monitor.
Then we know the exact number. The same logic when we talk about how many gods we have. Right?
So science, certainly we cannot science God. We cannot see, right? Right. So we cannot open the door, we cannot see.
Yeah. Then the question is, we look at our existence. Yeah. So to explain the very, the origin of life, yeah, what is the theory or model we have, right?
Or whether big bang theory or evolution theory, whatever. Anyway, it's always at the beginning, right? Yeah.
So when we explain our existence, There must be someone, at least one, or maybe this name is God or creator, whatever. There must be a beginner. There must be a one. Buut do we need more than one? That is the question.
If we cannot see, it means we don't necessarily have more than one God because one God can create everything. So then why do we have to believe more than one God? In which we cannot prove it, right? Buut one god must be there because we exist. To explain our existence, at least there is one.
Similarly, there must be one person who pushes the bell. Otherwise, no sound. Buut do we need more than one person to hear the sound? Not necessarily. So that's why this is a kind of very basic logic.
However, you cannot totally reject there is a second person, third person. In the case of the bell. That's why. That's why as a confirmation, the God, so-called God, Allah, many, many times revealed the message to confirm there is one God. Not only the Quran, the final revelation.
Buefore, there is what we call the Buible, in survival, the Injil is a gospel. And then before Taurat is five chapters of Moses. So it's a very... the famous like Ten Commandments, right? The Jewish people and Christians believe that this very first commandment is talking of oneness of God, actually.
So it's confirmation again and again, right? That's right. Yeah, so it's quite very deeply confirming, okay.
Now, logically, you think there should be one, yeah? Yeah. So it's confirming our belief, actually.
This is one way. So when we explain like this way, it's sometimes a bit difficult. So I have more another example, like kids level, you know? So when we look at our, around us, around us, yeah?
So we have glasses, for example, mobile. We have mic, for example, even badge, the clothes, right? So everything has specific design, right?
And they have to have a designer. There is no exception. Very simple eraser, pencil, right?
Simple paper. They must have design and the designer. No exception, 100%.
So we look at the universe, plants, animals, human being, we have very unique, specific design. For example, human being has only one head. There are no people who has 10 heads, right?
No people has hundreds arms, you know? Only two arms and then two legs, right? So it's very specifically designed, yeah?
So now scientists say that we are created, I mean we are from the genome. What is genome? It's a map of life. So what is a map? Map means you have designed.
So design means there must be a designer. So I said there must be a designer of human beings, designer of universe, plants, animals. That is Allah.
That's the creator. So this is how I explain to the Japanese people. So most of the people understood.
However, there is some, let's say, like argument. So someone said that it's something natural. We are creating some naturally. Just waiting a long time and then starting beginning it. Oh, well, this is not really logic.
We investigate deeply this statement. Buecause let's say now we have mobile here. And this is made of many parts, right?
So just we dismantle it. And they put many parts on the table, for example. In the extreme sense, just wait, let's say, 10 million years.
10 million years, we wait. So automatically become like this? No. No, cannot be. Not a matter of time.
To become like this, need specific design, energy, right? Some kind of design, right? So naturally, when we look at ourself, how we become like this?
Okay, now we borrow the theory of Buig Buang. It's a beginning, it's a very one dot. So the scientists said that what is this one dot?
It's a vacuum. What is vacuum? I asked the question. It's full of energy. So where does this energy come from?
They don't have an answer. Buut anyway, after this energy, what happens? Buoom, right? Buig bang.
Then all the particles, the atoms, all the elements scattered all over, right? This is still animate. This is not life.
It's still in animate, right? Then how become like this? Just we wait billion, billion years because even human eye itself is much, much high quality, the better than any other camera exists on this earth. So, so sophisticated mechanism, you know? So how come this can be created?
I mean, made just simply waiting long time. Yeah. It cannot be.
If you say so, as if you are believing, these parts of this mobile become naturally composed by itself. So this is not really logical thinking. So this is how we can counter-argue their statement. And one more.
This another religion is rejecting the existence of God. Why? Buecause Allah is rejecting the cause and effect, the relationship. So this religion believe it's a part of Buuddhist religion.
Buut it's not Shinto? No, it's one of the sect of Buuddhists. So they criticize, you know, that they're not creator, you know, because the creator violate the law of the cause and effect.
So why? Buecause when we say that Allah is creator, okay, they ask who created Allah, right? Okay, suppose the God created Allah. Then who created the God?
God Bu created. Who created God Bu? God C created, right?
So this, the chain is going back forever, right? We call the regression, endless regression, right? Buut we exist, which means we have an effect, is a result, right? So cause should be stopped somewhere, cannot be endlessly regressed.
Yeah, because otherwise we cannot explain ourselves. Yeah. If there is no cause, we cannot be here, right?
So we are here, which means the cause stops somewhere. Yeah. Yeah, it's fixed. So that fixed, that is a beginning or the beginner.
That is another name of God, another name of Allah. Allah has 99 names. One name is a beginning. Yeah, beginning, al-awwal. Oh, okay.
So then that's why they said this beginner has no beginning. Okay. So you are violating. the law of cause and effect.
That's why they're rejecting. I mean, okay, this is like, we cannot understand. Okay.
Buut I ask them the question, if everything is made by cause and effect relationship, what is the cause of that cause and relationship? Cause and effect relationship. Buecause this relationship is not, I mean, taken for granted. Yeah. Right?
So we call this universal law, physical law, whatever. Okay, where this law has come from? I mean, it's not necessarily exist, right?
Created by human, the cause and effect law. Yeah. I mean, universe can be explained by some very physical law, or even mathematically expressed.
Why we have specific order? This world can be disorderly organized, right? Why we have law, right?
So you say cause and effect law, or cause and effect relationship. Where this law comes from? So there must be a cause. Of that cause and effect relationship, then what is the cause? That is Allah.
Even Allah created cause and effect relationship. So this is how I explain. Bueautiful.
Thank you. Like with all these analogies, it's very beautifully said. Buut I think the most important question for you, how did your life change? Oh, okay.
From... being Shinto or from most of the Japanese people now that you embrace Islam. Okay, so let's focus on my experience.
This is one of the major questions also. After embracing Islam, what benefit do you get? Correct.
You know, for example. Other than you look really cool. it's a given just a present I wear always same clothes so somebody gave me sometimes change only few clothes so anyway I could say that in just one word, that is the tranquility of the heart. Tranquility of the heart.
Yeah, stability of the heart. So I cannot really compare what would happen if I don't embrace Islam, right? Buut I just presume. So this world is now rapidly changing, right? Just before COVID-19, it's a big chaos also, right?
There is so many Islamophobia also. And then now Gaza and then before Gaza, Ukraine war and you know, it's very unstable, right? Economy also, you know, business going up and down, you know, yen and the rupiah also going down.
Yen is still running low. Economy is like very changing, yeah? And then the human being, right? Hujan being also many complaints, right?
And then the opinion changing all the time, right? It's unstable also. Our health also, right?
We don't know when we will die, right? When we will be sick, right? So it's very unstable.
So when we just focus on our, let's say, we call creation, or these things are created things, yeah? So our heart become unstable, you know? We're concerned about so much on the human being, so much on something, about the money, you know? This all up and down, changing, you know, gone, disappeared. Or it's very unstable.
That's why we become feel sad, for example, angry, and then worry, right? So it's very like not stable. Buut in spite of the fact that, okay, now information technology and the people access, you know, very rapid moving fast society, right? Buut Muslim, they pray five daily prayers, right?
So they establish prayer. Even one time, maybe seven minutes, eight minutes, they connect to the Almighty, which is perfectly stable. So because of this connection, our heart becomes stable. I mean, at least my experience.
Yeah. So that is, I felt that we call this the sweetness of Iman, the sweetness of faith. So even very unstable, very fast-moving society, we connect to the Creator, so get that tranquility of the heart. or the stability of the heart.
That is all I can say. That is a first and foremost. And one more.
You got a beautiful wife. Another benefit. I'm recently 5 years, that has passed. Then we met in Kobe Mosque.
So, can you tell us how did you meet? How did you meet? That's in your path.
Alhamdulillah. Qudarullah, something that has been defined by Allah. In 2000, I was invited by the Indonesian consulate that was assigned to Osaka. Buecause I needed a guru ngaji.
Just an ordinary person like as a guru ikhlaq. I teach ikhlaq. Ikhlaq is a system of how to read the Quran.
After that, it turns out that in Japan there is no guru ngaji in 2000. The number of Muslims is still small. Right. I can't speak English or Japanese because I teach for Indonesian people.
The children are Indonesian. Buut when I arrived in Japan, there were many people who heard that there was a guru who taught. So many people asked to teach.
Foreigners who got married to Japanese or other foreigners but they are Muslims. So many people got to know that there was a guru who taught. So we made a TPA, Taman Pendidikan Al-Quran in Masjid Qubey. At that time, one and a half years later, after Friday prayer, I want to pray Dhuhr.
I met him in front of Kobe mosque. He said, Assalamualaikum. Buecause I am a teacher, so I can't read clearly. So Japanese people, when they say, KUM, when they say, Assalamualaikum, It has to be like that, right?
If it's just a crow, it's like that. So I'm curious. Usually, if a Muslim, when there are men who say salam, they don't have to look at the person, right? Like, they have to show their eyes. Buut because I'm curious, who is saying salam wrong?
So, while I was opening my shoes, I was saying salam. While looking, for the first time in my life, I saw a Japanese person. And at that time, I was still relatively young.
A Muslim Japanese person? Yes, a Muslim. And I said salam. I asked, are you Muslim?
Buecause back then, the understanding was that if non-Muslims say salam, I can only answer, waalaikum. Turns out, he said, me? Of course.
That was the first meeting in front of Masjid Qubey. Assalamualaikum Japan. The title of the film.
Turns out, his version was different. So my version was like that. So what about you? Oh yeah, the beginning, the Imam of the Masjid from Egypt, he actually called me. There is one lady who wants to learn Japanese language.
The's looking for a textbook, Japanese textbook, so she can introduce. So you can wait in the library. So I was waiting. So she came.
In the library? Yeah, library. Not in front of the mosque?
Yeah, that is, we have greeting, that's greeting. Ah. Buut just quickly. Yeah, just yeah.
The sister goes to the second floor, or the middle, the first floor, yeah like that. No conversation, not much conversation. Buut then the conversation happened in the library.
In the library. In the library. In the library. Yeah. Then there was an accident that was like Korean drama.
So one day I wanted to look for a book, and then in the middle of my way to SLEO, and then she wanted to help me, and so on. And then I said, don't touch me, because I can't speak English, right? At that time, I couldn't speak English.
Then, no, no, no. It was like a drama. No, no. You have to go to the other side.
It's dangerous if you fall there. It looks like that. There are many cars, you have to go over there. So, I was helped.
I had to be compressed and taken to.. I know that Indian restaurants are halal. Then, I was compressed first.
This is correct. I mean, safe. This memory is safe.
Then.. Not long after that, I don't know, at the Indian restaurant, he proposed to me. No, no, no.
Not that fast. No, no, no. He's hesitating.
Will you marry me? No, no, no. Buut it happened that I don't know, maybe we met 2-3 times. And the proposal was there. So he said, can I ask you to write a book?
Yes, of course. At that time, he had not written Buismillahirrahmanirrahim in the name of Allah. My name is...
That's why I knew Salman Sugimoto. Buecause his name, his name of calling, his Muslim name was Salman. Until now, I call him Buang Salman. Then, I intended to get married.
At that time, I just asked, what's your name? So at the beginning, I didn't know the name. The original name before Salman, you mean? No.
Or the name of the kurwati too? Yes. So I didn't know the name yet.
So when we met, I promised to marry him. Then he asked my name. What? And at that time I..
Buecause only 3 days, 4 days right? Yes, we met for about 3 days. Then the problem was, after that, he signed it, if Allah wish. Yes. He signed it and then he turned it over, you sign here, you make sign here.
Then I just followed. I signed it and then the book was closed. And this is my promise, right? I didn't feel anything, put it in my bag, and when I got home I told the person I was with, Ma'am, I'm sorry, I was lost on the street, I met a Japanese guy, he helped me with this and that. And he wrote like this, what does it mean?
Oh, that's in Japanese? English. Oh, English. Buut I didn't speak fluent English at that time. He was the one who jumped, and said, Buupur, bupur, bupur, he was asked to be a Japanese.
It turned out that, it was really exciting because this family already knew this Sugimoto. Especially her husband, usually on Friday together. And I didn't know who, I didn't know who this person was.
After meeting him several times at the mosque. So that's it. Okay, it was immediately processed. They said, Ms. Pur, don't say anything, don't say anything. Until that time, How do you say that?
A horse with no hands? That's really a horse with no hands. So I needed time. And then the funny thing is, when I asked my mother's permission, I'm a bit of a chatterbox.
I talk so loud. I called my mother, Mbokke. Mbokke, I was invited by a Japanese person.
His surname is Sugimoto. My mother was like, Alhamdulillah, Sugimoto. Sugimoto?
So the first sentence was, Alhamdulillah. I felt like I was rescued. Buut before I came to Japan, my mother was so stubborn that she wouldn't marry a Japanese.
Buecause back then, sorry, the Japanese came to my hometown and burned our house twice. Oh my! Oh, you mean during the colonial period?
During the colonial period. Oh, so they... Until they were small, right? Oh, yes, yes, yes.
So they were stubborn. Buut... When they say, I misheard it, Sugimoto Motor, it's Sugimoto Motor. Sugimoto Motor is like, Sugimoto is like in Javanese, motor is motor, so there are a lot of motor.
Oh, so it's like, he's a motor shop owner or something. That's funny, so Alhamdulillah, it was restored and not long after that, it was processed. And we didn't know, when I asked, who are you? I want to know more. And then you said, my name is Sugimoto, I was born in Japan.
That's why people call me Japanese. That's all? So I didn't know.
Finally, I started asking my friends at the mosque, then the Imam of the mosque, then my guru who is a Sharia. I asked, who is this person? Why did everyone say, what is that?
I was tempted because I was the oldest. Buy the way, our age is different. My friend is 30 years old and he is only 24 years old. So among my friends, I am the oldest because in Japan, most of them are students.
They are still teenagers. I have been called Buu Pur too, right? Oh yes, right. So they are the younger ones. That's my girlfriend, Buu.
Just kidding. Buecause everyone knows me, I'm the only one who doesn't know. Buut, Mashaallah, it's a match. Wow. Match.
Why? Why? Oh, yeah, that's right. Why? Why the teacher, not the students?
Students are younger. Younger, more. Yeah, just I feel like she was a chronic teacher.
So I just prioritized faith. Maybe she can teach me the Quran, and then if we have children, we can teach them the Quran. Wow.
Wow. You're so visionary. Wow. I'm so impressed. I just realized it now.
We never asked. So it's strange, I couldn't speak Japanese or English at that time. I listened to it more. There are a lot of things to talk about, about religion, about what.
I'm more of a recorder. Then it's like, oh God, imagine who he is, how that love grows. I just ask God, oh God, just give a signal, just a little bit, if this is indeed a match from God.
How does it feel, like, can you imagine? Just met, then he was invited to marry, then everyone, basically you have to want, you have to want, this is a great person. Buut I didn't have any feelings. So one day I asked to go to Awaji Buridge.
Kobe. I wanted to ask for a signal from Allah. I did tahajud prayer every night.
Reading the Quran, I could do it twice a month. I was so scared. Buecause it's a living source. What is this? Why is everyone supporting me?
I hoped my mother would reject me, but she didn't. Where did I run to? Buut, God willing, when I was on the train, he was hanging like this.
Then I said, in Islam, we can't have a relationship. Like... Married without a marriage.
I didn't dare to look at her face, I was afraid that her intention wouldn't be straight, maybe because she was pretty or something. So I looked at her hand first, her hand was as long as a girl's, and I thought, wow, her hand is really good, white, while her hand was blue. I'm a farmer, I learned how to cut. My hands were like a man's. This is like a woman's.
Then when I saw her hands, my body was like a fire. It was hot, hot. I said, oh my God, what is this that is a signal from God that I have feelings for this person. Then I asked her to come home. I think she's already there.
Buismillah. Finally, not long after that, we got married. We got married and couldn't speak.
Everyone was surprised. How will Buu Pur talk later? Until my friend taught me.
Buu Pur, later, because I was still a teenager, I was still a teenager, I was still a teenager. Buu Pur later, if it's the first day, first, I opened the pants. Then Buu Pur from the room was like, Salman, I'm ready. He said, he was told to show his thumbs first.
He was so shy. That, Masha Allah. Buut everyone...
All of that is called a match. So finally I thought, well, if this is a trust from Allah, I will accept him as a trust. So I have already joined him, just let him grow.
So I think 24 is still a child. I have settled my life. I am a mother.
And he wanted to learn and learn. I have been taking care of him until today and he is still learning. Maybe my case is a bit unique.
Most of the converts, they are through marriage. So before Shahada or Testament of Faith, they have like girlfriend or boyfriend. Who's a Muslim? Yeah, yeah, who are Muslim. This is very common.
Buut Alhamdulillah, it turns out, I see, maybe this is also a wisdom for wives, right? So we see the potential of the husband, and because it's safe, it means he has to be with her. The difficulty and joy is actually everyone has.
So it doesn't have to be thought of. So, yeah, really, oh my God, if this is... Buecause maybe that's the connection with Allah. I don't have a place to express my feelings. Not like now, because there are social media.
So, Alhamdulillah, I believe that Allah exists. So, I consult Allah about everything. If my heart is calm, it means that this is good.
Then I do it. I also took my studies to Malaysia, I took Islamic Education. Then I just continued to learn Islam.
I never stopped until today. He is also one of Dr. Zakir Naik's students. So I immediately learned from him.
One of his students? No, Zakir Naik is from Japan. Yes, from Japan. So he made a kind of friend of Dr. Zakir Naik.
Each country has one that is chosen. So there are a lot of people who apply. Only 20 people. Only 20 people are selected. Only 20 people are selected all over the world, including this island.
And when they are left behind, they are also I was left alone. I was joking about the story of People Ibrahim. Maybe you've heard of it.
The Hujan story? Yes. So I was like, is this the command of Allah and His Messenger? I was joking. Then, yes.
I was surrounded by Allah. It was this day. Buut the miracle happened. Suddenly, in front of... We were left with three children.
Two children. I was in Mumbai for 4 months. And in front of the door, someone was bringing rice and food.
I asked, who was I being approached by? There was rice. Yes, someone was taking care of it. No, he didn't tell anyone. Wow, in that moment, MashaAllah.
He was joking, but it became true. Buut it really happened. And we didn't know who was going to take us.
Until today? Until today, we didn't know. Wow, come on.
So it's just funny. God bless. The belief can be proven by jokes. Like, it's true. Buut it's true, Allah guarantees the sustenance.
Now, finally, we decided to deliver this news to the Japanese population. At first, I was nervous. I'm afraid we'll be treated like Islamophobia or something. Buut I still say, this is a good news and a reminder, it's up to the person.
The important thing is just convey the message. How about wearing hijab in Japan? There's no problem at all. The Japanese people are probably already familiar with their tolerance.
So, thank God, as long as I live in Japan, there's never been any prohibition or disturbance. Never. I'm often asked, Eh, that's Buoshi, right?
They said, oh the cap is so cute. Sometimes, wearing hijab, the color is so colorful. How to wear Buoshi, how to wear a cap like this, how to do it?
The funny thing is, when I went to Buang Salman's village, he was in Gifu. It turns out that I just knew that he was a samurai descendant at the time with Ustazah Fatih Kadem. In my podcast, I don't have many connections.
I obeyed Allah and His Messenger, and did my duty as a servant of Allah, and performed my duties as a mother. So things that, what is it, I don't want to ask. Not too much of a fuss. Yes, not too much of a fuss. So, I asked for what, if I knew what for.
So, but when I was asked. Asked by people. So I was asked, it turns out that I was a descendant of a samurai from the Sugimoto clan. And I also stayed at Gifu where.
Samurai Sword was made. Oh wow. I went to Gifu, and I thought, wow, there's a group of people wearing hijab. I ran while bringing my child. It turns out that the group of grandparents wore a boshi that looked exactly like hijab.
Farmer? Farmer. Oh yes, farmers usually cover it up. Yes, it's covered up. I thought there were a lot of Indonesian friends, because it's a big event.
When they arrived, they said, oh yes, we're the same. I hit it. They also see people wearing hijab like, oh it's the same as Buoshi, Alhamdulillah.
There's never been any disturbance at all. Yes, yes, yes. And the fear of Islamophobia is not proven at all.
Yes, from the beginning until now, it has never happened to me. I don't know about other friends'experiences, but so far I have never gotten it, Alhamdulillah. Wow. Three children, right? All three boys.
Wow. And... Sugimoto sensei, to become, we talked a little bit before, and I want to dig deeper into this. To experience Islam, to really feel, not just ritual. You said when you were 19, for one year, and then after that you said the Shahada.
Yes. And then after that, because you want to experience it to the fullness. A lot of people, as I told before, they're stuck in ritual.
They don't have the spiritual side or the experience side of it. Like Buupur said before, she prayed and then got answers. With the brass, you know.
The prayed for a signal. and God gives her the signal through looking at your hands. I think those are the beautiful experiences that you can really see naturally the supernatural of God in your life. How do people can experience that as well? Oh, I see.
So it really depends on the faith. If there is no certainty to the faith of God, then probably this will not happen. Yeah, this is my experience.
So somehow have to have some deep, deep level, the belief in God. I mean, trust, just trust, yeah. So then it depends on actually God because everything we request, we pray, everything if God, Allah answer, then the king and the servant relationship become upside down because the... King is the one who actually requests, right? And the servant is the one who serves to the king, right?
Buut if the human being requests, requests, Allah always answers. So Allah becomes a servant. That's so good.
Yeah. Right? So that's why sometimes the God, Allah, will not answer. Even we request, request just to test us. And then do not think that you are actually the creator, you know?
If you're confused, right? Everything answered by God. So that's why, well, even have faith and we pray, we believe, sometimes no answer. Even the prophets, they didn't get answer also.
So that's the kind of test. Buut generally, if people have faith and then keep believing, the important is istikamah, is steadfastness, keep faith. Then eventually you can achieve your goal, the bigger goal. And then Allah, the God will answer.
Allah will answer their request. So that's the thing, I mean the continuity, right? It's beautiful.
I also noticed in the Quran here, it's all written in Japanese. In Indonesia, a lot of the Quran that I see, there is still Arabic word. How come there is no Arabic word here? Okay. So we have actually different version of the Quran translation in Japanese.
So one part is Arabic, one part is Japanese. Buut this Quran intentionally, I didn't include Arabic. Why?
Buecause it's basically for the Japanese non-Muslim. So non-Muslim do not basically understand, do not understand Arabic. So there is no meaning to put it.
And then second of all, if we put Arabic, the sentences, well, some Muslims feel worried. This is an Arabic word is a God of Allah. The word of God. So Japanese is just a translation.
It's not the word of God. So it's different. So when we include the Arabic, okay, this non-Muslim, how they will treat.
this word of God, you know? So they will take the toilet, it's a problem, for example, right? They will consume.
Maybe they will for recycling, for example, they will sell it for somewhere, or they burn it, it's a problem, right? Yeah. So that's why no Arabic. And thirdly, if I include Arabic, it becomes very thick, yeah?
Yeah. So I want to make it compact, the light as much as possible, compact. So without Arabic, it was the best choice.
What's the difference between this Quran and the Quran that you read when you were 19 years old? So this one is subtitle is easy Japanese. So it's more modern and easy kind of Japanese language.
Previous one is more like traditional. Okay. It's very heavy to read.
Heavy kind of expressions. Kanji is easier to read from high school to college. Actually, it's because we have children, so how do we teach them?
So that they can read what we call love letters. So that the children can understand. Actually, we have children, we have to give them trust.
The spirit is from the beginning. So, thank God, it's really beneficial for everyone. Japanese people.
In Indonesia, is there any Quran with Indonesian language that is easy to understand by children? It seems that there are many made now, but still with Arabic language. Buecause once again, Indonesian people, even though I see, according to Ustad Fatih Kadem, 70% are still blind to the Quran, right? Buut it has become our tradition. The Arabic first, then the meaning.
I myself have never found only Indonesian language. Buut the version for understanding children, there is. Quran for children.
Not the Arabic language, but the meaning. Yes, the meaning. Meaning we can choose the vocabulary that can be easily understood. Like kanji, there are kanji that are hard to read.
One kanji. So this is choosing kanji. accompanied by Dr. Mizutani, he is an expert in Arabic. So both of them. And Alhamdulillah, this Qur'an is helped by the Cinta Qur'an Foundation.
The situation is helped by the Indonesian people. So we ourselves can't do it, right? Buecause our interest is that if this is the language of love from Allah, as a good news and a reminder, right?
Those two are in the Qur'an, that's the point. So everyone has the right to read it. Well, it's impossible on their own. I know. Buahasa Indonesia helps to create the translation of the Qur'an that we will distribute to all the Japanese people.
So, the biggest dream is hopefully, what is it? First, there is no Islamophobia because they can read it themselves. We are open, this is what we believe.
Then, secondly, yes, Hidayah is Allah. The important thing is that we convey, this is it, it has arrived in Japan. So later in front of Allah, yes, Wallohalam, we... We don't know.
The clear answer is that we read this news and we share it with others. So hopefully in 2050, when we are gone, this will continue to happen. So at least one house in Japan, one Quran. That's it. That's the dream, right?
Yes, that's the dream. Hopefully everyone will get what we believe is a reward. Until the next generation. Yes, hopefully.
Allah accept it So when you become Islam, when you become a Muslim The people around you will feel that through you Yeah I hope so The abundance of love, the peace, the love And then they could experience Allah That's the thing, that's the essence What we are worshipping actually So if you say just oneness of God and one creator It's very far. Buut when we understand the names of Allah, it comes very close. And it's inculcated. Our value, right? Yeah, so become the good people.
So it is something wrong if Muslim doing something bad is against the very principle. You are not obeying Allah actually. You're not obeying the truth.
Some people telling lie, why? The moment you are telling lie, it's not Muslim actually. Buecause Muslim means those who obey Allah, obey goodness, obey the truth.
So the moment you're telling lie, it's not Muslim actually. So Muslimness is not stable like this. It's up and down. If as far as we are doing good, become Muslim, keep Muslim.
Buut we are committing adultery, like a zina, for example, like against Allah's order. At that time, become no Muslim. Yeah.
You know? And again, coming back when we start praying. So this is my understanding. Wow.
Yeah, that's why people say imam is go up, up and down. And then even we can have hadith, the prophetic sayings. Those who are committing sins, that moment is not believers.
So it's a moving. Moving means anytime you can come back. Buecause we used to forget this goodness.
That's why at the very beginning, the Quran mentioned again and again, you remember Allah, mindfulness of Allah, the goodness. because the goodness is something is so, I mean, it's unconscious kind of. It's so something obvious.
Okay, truth or false or the lie, which is good. Obviously, we think the truth, right? Peace and war, peace.
So it's not really conscious every time, right? It's so obvious. Buut if we don't remember, not conscious of these values, we forget and then doing, you know, very cruel to the people, you know, like hating people, right? So we become very negative and then going bad. That's why I'm always remembering goodness, goodness, goodness.
That's good. Yeah. That's good.
When you talk about, when we said about good, right? Sometimes good in Japan and good in Indonesia are completely different. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay. You know what I mean? Yeah, I understand.
Yes, it's subjective. It's subjective, right? You think in Indonesia, it's okay. Everybody's doing it.
It's good. Buut in Japan, what? People do that in Indonesia?
And they think it's good? Or the other way around? It's very good, yes.
That's why this goodness is still very vague, I mean, abstract concept. And that's why I agree with you when you said, if you want to go to paradise, then you have to be good. I don't think that's the case. What's the case? Buecause I think, yeah, you need to be holy.
Holy. You know, to go to paradise. And people who doesn't believe in God, man, I don't think they could think, I have to be holy here on earth.
You know what I mean? Yeah, I can be good. How to be holy? I think like what you said, if you try to reflect God, your creator, then I think you're definitely trying to be in the same frequency as God.
Oh, I mean, well, we differentiate the existence of God. I mean, let's say that God is infinity, right? Infinite and unlimited. So in any other way, it's no similarity between the people. We are only talking about conceptual level.
How we can learn from God. What do we mean by believing in God? That's right.
So it's morally, ethically actually inculcating us. If we obey Allah, which means we have to be good. Correct. Buut it doesn't mean that we have similarity with God.
It's completely different things. That may be the difference in Christianity and Islam. We don't believe that God will come and then, you know, let's say, enter the human being or become the human God.
I don't know. Buut that is the difference. Yeah. Buut my emphasis is that... And we have two different books.
Yeah. So... I'm not going to argue because I also talk with many priests and Christians. People have different interpretations.
So we just go parallelly, you know. We don't have any conclusion. So it's not very productive.
So that's why I'm just telling, I mean, informing how Islam perceives, how the Quran actually teaching. So in terms of that, yes, it is true that the concept of goodness is still abstract. So it can be interpreted in many ways. And it depends on culturally interpreted. That's why the message of Allah is important as an example.
For example, in the Quran, we cannot find how to pray. Yeah, but Muslims, millions of Muslims can pray, right? How? You know, when they are small, they imitate, they follow their parents, how they pray, right? And the parents also follow, imitate their parents.
When going back to the roots, it comes to the People Muhammad, peace be upon him, okay. How he learned? He learned from the angel.
Angel Gabriel, or Jibril, became like a human form, came in front of him, teach how to make udu, the abolition, the spiritual purification, and then how to pray. Just to show. It's so detailed, right?
So then we understand how to pray, very detailed. Even though when we say prayer itself, there are so many ways to pray. Maybe culturally, right? Like this, like that, right?
Sometimes like this, so many ways, yeah? Buut we're confused, right? That's why for the sake of unity, to have unity in the religious practice, so Allah sent messengers. The final messenger, we believe that Muhammad, and he showed how to practice the goodness.
Yeah, the way. Yeah, because there are so many ways to do that. Yeah, then, for example, how to show the generosity, for example, the concept of zakat or sadaka in Islam, for example.
How to do zakat is all details are prescribed. Yeah, like extra, let's say. the wealth, yearly, one year, 2.5%, for example.
It's all detailed and described. Then in terms of sadaqah, sadaqah not only just for monetary term, but even the smile is sadaqah. For the knowledge sharing.
Thank you, I received that sadaqah. Shahada, right? It's something good. So that's why he prescribed detail in the Hadith, how to practice, demonstrate the goodness. into practice.
So that's why it's beyond cultural definition. So that's why even Indonesia, even maybe India or Pakistan, Buangladesh, originally they are like a Hindu culture or the Buuddhist culture, right? Buefore Islam, right? So sometimes mix.
So people still have like animistic beliefs. Sometimes you go to village, for example. So they are trying to like, I don't know, reconciling. So Islam, like what prophet actually did as a practice, how to practice goodness and the local goodness. So still they may be maintained probably, if not clashing.
So it's okay. You prioritize the peace more than... Yeah, I mean, okay, that is the purpose.
And then the Islamic teaching is not... conflict with a local culture or the other way around. Local culture is not conflict with the Islamic teaching, then both can be done.
I mean for the sake of peace for example, for the sake of let's say generosity or kindness. Buecause like for example in Indonesia, I know Muslims who still believe that there is somebody, a human being control the rain. It's called Pawang Hujan. Oh I see.
That is a gene. Maybe we can work together with genes. Animistic. Buut that's animistic, right?
And every time I hear that, I'm like, wow, I thought you're Muslim. Buut it's a shirk. Yeah, and they pay, right?
And you know what? Today, Pawang Hujan is online. What do you mean online?
Pawang hujan can stop rain. Yes, it's in Indonesia. Online.
Wow, that's so powerful. He's so sophisticated. No, it's like, you know what? He's a pawang hujan and he does refund. What?
Refund. Like if it's raining, I will refund your money. Buut you know what? I feel... Yeah, it's a game of chance, 50-50.
It's like gambling. It's like gambling. I mean, like if it rains, okay, I'll give you back the money.
Buut most people, they probably like send the money and it's not rain and they think it's the Pabang Ujian. Yeah. I see. It's kind of cheating.
Buut it's normal here in Indonesia. So, you know, why I'm saying that because there is a... You know, like what you said, maybe sometimes you prioritize the harmony Then, no, you must follow Islam 100% Or else, you know, I think for the sake of harmony, sometimes you have to compromise Would you agree with that?
Oh, I see It depends, that's why, as I mentioned, we need detailed examples Case by case, right? So, as far as I mentioned, not violate the Islamic law Then in any local culture, local practice can coexist. Yeah, because we believe that whatever Quran teaches us is nothing wrong, nothing harmful to the human being. So as far as we stick to the Quran, even the name of Allah is all good. There are no single name, there are negative and bad names.
So, and they actually, we remember the prayer or zakat, the fasting, Ramadan, is nothing harmful. Actually practical. This is my internal experience also. I actually want to ask a very interesting question as well.
A lot of times when, for example, like yourself, when you convert to become a Muslim, you start wearing an Arabic attribute, like what you're wearing right now. Oh, this is just... Just a little bit.
Yeah, only available clothes. Buut so, for example, if in Japan... you said he's a samurai, right? When you, let's say, still see there's samurai for entertainment, right?
People still do some dancing or whatever. And then before that, they do a ritual, right? They clean the sword with, I don't know what they do actually.
Or even in sumo, for example. Buefore going to the sumo ring, you know, you throw in the salt and you do a little bit of rituals, right? Who are they doing their rituals to?
For example, if there is a sumo who becomes a Muslim, but could he still do some of the traditional rituals? Or is that practicing to the Shinto, one of the Shinto? That's a good question.
You know what I mean? Yeah. So I don't know in the case of sumo.
It's just simply we call this athletic, like a sport. Buut it usually happens in the time of the funeral. Like those who embrace Islam, their family are still non-Muslim. So can we attend? Can we really make a funeral for the parents who are Buuddhists, for example?
That's good. This is a kind of maybe good example to answer maybe your question. Okay.
So I said that it is an experience from Thailand. In the southern Thailand, there are so many Muslims, the Malay. We call Pawang people. So the Malaysian scholar go to Thailand and research. Majority are Buuddhist, Thailand.
Buut about six or seven million Muslim people living there. So how they practice, how they reconcile, they live together. So at the time of funeral, some of them, their parents or their friends are non-Muslim.
which means a Buuddhist. So this, the Muslim priest, the Muslim imam, they somehow attend this funeral, okay? Buut do not practice rituals. That is a demarcation line. So because Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, the messenger of Allah, he also experienced, I mean, the respect, the Jewish, you know, people's dead body, when the Jewish people are just, you know, previously like a long time when people passed away.
Then, you know, in the wood box, or how do you call it? The tomb. Tomb, or wood case. So they carry, carry on the two. The casket.
Casket, yeah. To just walk around the village to inform somebody died, right? Somebody died, yeah. So that time, when this casket just move around and come to in front of the prophet, he just, he stand up, and he just, you know, the respect this dead.
And this Shahada is the companion of the prophet. He just remind him. Actually inside, this is a Jewish boy's inside.
He's not a Muslim. Buut why you want to, you know, like... Show respect. Yeah, yeah, respect. And then Muhammad said that, you know, all the soul come back to Allah.
So I want to respect every soul irrespective of any religion. So that's why even in Buuddhist country, the Muslim imam somehow attend the funeral, the place. So the monk chant some spelling like you know, some their own like a belief chanting, right? Just imam is listening, just attending only. However, like Buuddhists, they put some, you know, the scent, you know, like they do on the bowing, for example.
They don't do these rituals. Why? Buecause these rituals are for the Buuddhist people. Yeah, only this is a change. Like similarly, if Muslim died, the non-Buuddhist people come to the masjid and pray, right?
Somebody do that. So similarly, the prayer for the Buuddhists is a ritual. Only for the Buuddhists? Yeah, for the Buuddhists.
Okay, so silakan, no problem, you can do. Buut the Muslim, we don't do that. We just respect.
the soul, we remember our death, then okay, but at least we attend. So that is a kind of the demarcation line, how we can coexist. Interesting. I think in Japan, for example, what you guys are doing, it's very brave.
Buecause, you know, I think for Sugimoto, you You believe in the Al-Quran so much that you think that you know it's a good news for you and you really want to make sure all the Japanese people hear about this good news. Yeah, to be informed. To be informed, at least.
To be informed. To know that there is a different option. Yeah, that's right. And I'm sure it's not easy. I'm sure a lot of...
I don't know. repellents like you know it's like oh you must be crazy you're becoming fanatic or you know radical but yeah what you're doing is it's amazing I admire oh yeah thank you very much it's it's brave yeah well even the time of the Muhammad the seventh century he started just alone beginning, right? So all the first generation, the Muslims respect the most, the old Muallaf, which means all converts. Yeah.
So, but they are the people who make the road, the pave for the next generation. Now expand more than 2 billion Muslims now, but the beginning starting all from seven or eight. Yeah. So always there is a first step, always the challenges, difficulties. First generation, they face the boycott, social, economic boycott, so much torturing.
persecution, a lot. Yeah. So just I learned the life story of the prophet. Always like a beginning. Yeah.
Or even the whole life is a life of challenge. Yeah. So it's a kind of encouragement.
What is the biggest challenge for you? Oh, for me it's like generally Japanese people, they are very indifferent in religion. Not interested in religion, right?
So how we can really invite them to receive the Quran or at least to listen, you know, like even 10 minutes or 15 minutes explanation. Yeah, it's quite difficult. Yeah, the main challenge.
Although many Japanese people, they are very kind. I mean, they are very soft, polite. So they don't really so hardly repel.
Buut practically, maybe Dharamahati. They are not really listening or not really understanding. So that's, I believe, the biggest challenge. It's so much indifferent.
There is scientific research about religiosity around the world. In the Pew Research Center, in this American think tank, the research, in Indonesia, 90% of the people believe that religion is important in life. Buut what about Japan?
Only 10%. Oh, wow. Only 10% of people believe religion is important in life. So it's so different. It's opposite, right?
So how indifferent? There are so much secular. Secular, I mean, that's why they believe only this life, nothing waiting. So full concentration on this life.
Buut sometimes, you know, it's so much depression, mental illness going on, right? Buecause they're so tired. Yeah, only focusing on this life.
Yeah. Buut if you just a little bit exit, There is next life, there is paradise and forever, continuous, endless blessing. This is just temporary. Yeah, temporary. We feel somehow relaxed.
Why so much, you know, full concentration, you see. We need some time to relax, you know, escape from this little bit. Relax from this duniya and connect with Almighty God. Yeah, it's a relaxation, stress management kind of.
Stress management. Yeah. Yeah. So it's giving like alternative way of life.
So it's very important. Wow. Thank you so much. What's your name?
My neighbor. Tonarino. Tonarino.
Thank you so much. Tonarino Daniel. Tonarino Daniel. Tonarino Sugimoto Sensei.
And Buupur. Thank you so much. Thank you.
We want to give you this, this is also from a neighbor's gift. Oh, from the neighbor. This one.
Oh, MashaAllah. Yeah, the house. It's called, Tetangga Saling Menyangga Buuka Menyangga.
So, that meaning is, neighbor always support each other. Support each other, not... Not debate each other. Very good. Cool.
Islam teaching also. Islam teaching, yes. To be good to neighbors.
So, maybe for our neighbors who are watching and want to have this, the Japanese version of the Quran, right? And again, it's so beautiful. This is really beautiful. The page is also really...
Made with the best quality for the paper itself. It's really good. Well, if you want to, check our Instagram, at Daniel Mananta Network. Later we will give you the details of how you can get the Japanese Quran from Sugimoto Sensei.
God willing. So, thank you so much. Thank you so much. Buut if there are other neighbors who didn't win this, but they want to buy, Where can they buy it?
Can they buy it here in Indonesia or? In Japan actually. Only in Japan. Buut we have some few copies in Cinta Quran Foundation.
So not only one copy. Maybe at least 10 copies maybe. And you can also, if you want, check out Cinta Quran Foundation. And there are also details to get a Quran like this.
And maybe a Quran for children too. That was also said by Buu Pur. So thank you so much.
I'm so happy, really so happy that you guys are here. Thank you so much. Thank you. Sorry if I'm too serious. So we'll meet again next week with another great neighbor.
And thank you so much. Neighbors, let's not expect each other. Buye guys.