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Written by: Meidiana Khadijah Maramis

Mr. Abdullah Kobayashi; The Journey of Faith and Transformation

The number of Muslims in Japan, including Japanese Muslims, has been steadily increasing. Consequently, it is not surprising to find Japanese individuals taking on the role of Imam. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Abdullah Kobayashi, a Japanese Muslim who serves as an Imam at Darul Arqam Masjid (Asakusa Mosque) in Tokyo.

Mr. Kobayashi with his wife

The Imam’s Conversion

The story of his conversion to Islam is an intriguing one. Born as Yuta Kobayashi in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, he had a deep fascination with history and various religions around the world, which eventually led him to pursue a career as a writer in 2017.

Mr. Kobayashi was asked to write an article introducing Islamic culture. As he delved into his research and gathered information about Islam, he was surprised to discover the abundance of miscellaneous and unreliable information available. Being passionate about his writing, he felt the need to provide accurate and credible content. To achieve this, he decided to visit Al-Iman Mosque in Matsumoto City and started learning from the books available there. Additionally, he began attending the mosque regularly, especially on Fridays.

Not only did the knowledge he gained about Islam enable him to produce accurate and credible writings, but it also deeply touched his heart. Inspired by his newfound understanding and conviction, Mr. Abdullah Kobayashi made the personal decision to convert to Islam in 2017.

Mr. Kobayashi (center)

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One of the Japanese Imams in Japan

In 2020, he initially served as the Imam at Al-Iman Mosque in Matsumoto. This mosque, built by Pakistanis and belonging to the Islamic Circle of Japan (ICOJ), provided him with an opportunity to lead the community in prayer and guide them in matters of faith. Subsequently, the ICOJ approached him to take on the role of Imam at Darul Arqam Masjid (Asakusa Mosque), where he continues to serve today by teaching Al-Qur’an and supporting the Islamic wedding process.

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