Why did they become Muslim? 'UMAR MITA (Japanese)

 

'UMAR MITA (Japanese)



('Umar Mita is a Japanese economist and thinker. Formerly, he
conducted some research in social areas, entered on a career as
a Buddhist priest and preached Buddhism for some time, and finally
became a Muslim, dedicating all the rest of his life to Islamic
publications.)



Hamd (thanks and praise) be to Allahu ta'ala, I have been a Muslim
for three years. I have attained a happy life. My Pakistani Muslim
brothers taught me how a true and honest life should be. I met
those Pakistani brothers of mine during their visit to Japan.
They told me about Islam, and thus caused me to become a Muslim.
I owe them very much gratitude.



Most of the Japanese people are Buddhists. Yet they are so only
in name, for they have little with Buddhism in practice. They
no longer attend the Buddhist rites, and they have forgotten their
religious teachings almost entirely. The main reason lies in the
fact that Buddhism is a conglomeration of very ambiguous and complicated
philosophical abstractions and that it is of no worldly benefit
to its votaries. Indeed, Buddhism would provide no help to an
average-minded person against the various perplexing problems
and new situations he would encounter daily. A person of medium
mental capacity could not understand that religion, nor could
he derive any benefit from it. Not so is the case with Islam.
Islam is a simple, humanitarian and heavenly religion intelligible
to everybody. This religion penetrates all the phases of human
life and teaches Muslims how they should act in each of the so
many various situations of life. Cleanliness is essential in Islam.
Islam is the most perfect guide for people with pure souls. Islam
is so logical that the most ignorant person would understand its
language. Unlike other religions, Islam does not contain a privileged
priestly caste or a prototype of ecclesiastical monopoly.



In my opinion, Islam's spread in Japan would be a very easy job.
There could be some difficulties in the beginning. Yet these difficulties
could be eliminated and the Japanese people would gradually embrace
Islam. The first step is to introduce real Islam to the Japanese
people. Day by day the Japanese people are becoming more and more
materialistic. Yet they are not pleased about this, and they are
aware of the vacuum in their souls. They should be taught that
the Islamic religion is not only a source of spiritual information,
but also a complete and perfect guide that will equip the human
race with all the teachings they need in this worldly life.



As the second step, deeply learned true Muslims powerful enough
to realize this Islamic publication are requisite in Japan. Unfortunately,
the students coming to Japan from various Muslim countries do
not have the potency to carry out this important task. When I
made contact with them, I saw with deep distress that they were
not knowledgeable about their own religion and that they did not
obey their own religion. These people could not be our guides.
They were people who admired the western world, who had been given
European education, and who had graduated from western colleges
and church schools. They knew nothing of Islam.



All Muslims should give serious consideration to the matter of
spreading the Islamic religion in Japan and, as I have stated
earlier, true scholars should be sent to our country. These people
coming in should be exemplary Muslims, not only in words, but
also in manners and behaviours. We Japanese people are pining
for peace, truth, honesty, sincerity and virtue. Day by day we
are losing these beautiful qualities of ours. Islam is the only
saviour to rescue us from the impending destruction.



Muslims have belief in Allahu ta'ala, who is great and one. Japanese
people need this sort of belief.



Islam means 'peace'. There is not another nation who long for
peace as strongly as the Japanese people do. Attaining peace and
tranquillity requires accepting Islam, which is 'peace' itself.
Islam means living in peace and happiness with people and submission
to the commandments of Allahu ta'ala. Humanity will attain salvation
from disasters and savageries only via Islam.