The Significance of Propagating Islam Hadhari in Japan

Abstract

More than a year has passed since Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi resigned his position as Prime Minister of Malaysia. His Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) approach is no longer a journalistic topic. However, I believe it is still significant as a topic of contemporary Islamic thought for it faces up to such serious problems as poverty and violence throughout the Muslim world of today and seeks well-balanced solutions which are not only consistent with Islamic ethics and moral values but also compatible with modernisation and multicultural realities. This Viewpoint proposes that the ideas of Islam Hadhari should be introduced to the Japanese people in order to correct their often distorted image of Islam. First, I shall report on how Islam is misunderstood by many of them, quoting eminent Japanese writers and politicians; then I shall refer to the efforts that should be made to improve the situation. I shall conclude by suggesting that propagating Islam Hadhari in Japan would help Japanese people understand Islam better.