The Journey of Tazuke Nuriyaki (Zaki San): Motivation to Challenges as a Muslim in Japan
Tzuke Nuriyaki, better known as Zaki San, is the Chairman of the Mualaf Center in Japan. His spiritual journey towards Islam began while working at a livestock company in Bandung, Indonesia, affiliated with ITB. There, he was impressed by the tenacity of Muslims in practicing their religion. This experience became Zaki's main motivation to embrace Islam, a decision that later led him to become more involved in the Muslim community, both in Indonesia and Japan.
After deciding to embrace Islam, Zaki experienced an intensive process of adaptation, both in his personal life and in the organizations he joined. As a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia became an ideal place for him to learn and understand more about Islamic culture and practices. This experience strengthened his desire to be active in religious activities and introduce Islam to the Japanese community, which became the main goal of his involvement in the Mualaf Center.
Under his leadership, the Mualaf Center in Japan has held various study programs, both in Japan in general and at Masjid Nusantara. These programs are designed to assist converts in understanding the teachings of Islam as well as providing moral and spiritual support. Although the number of converts in Japan is still relatively small, Zaki and his team are constantly working to expand their reach and increase participation in religious activities.
Zaki recognizes that many converts to Islam in Japan are married to Muslim spouses. Therefore, one of the focuses of the Mualaf Center is to provide learning forums that can help converts understand Islam more deeply, not only as a condition of marriage, but also as a genuine faith. This is important to ensure that their decision to embrace Islam is based on personal understanding and conviction, rather than solely for external reasons.
We are the participants of the Japan 2024 International KKN, consisting of Anis Nur Safarina Zaenudin, Annisa Dzakiah, Ghany Fitriamara, Rafifa Naila Putri, and Yulia Rahma. We are here to find out the tendency of Muslim development in Japan, therefore we try to use this opportunity to conduct interviews at the Japanese Mualaf Center, this is a very valuable experience in understanding the role of Islam in Sakura country and exploring further the spiritual journey of converts there.
On the other hand, social interaction with other Muslim communities is also an important part of the Mualaf Center's activities. Zaki has built relationships with several mosques in Japan, such as the Pakistani and Bangladeshi Mosques, and continues to work on expanding his network beyond the Indonesian Masjid Nusantara community. These interactions are expected to create a more inclusive community and support converts in their spiritual journey.
Despite the many relationships Zaki has built in Indonesia, especially with NU, he has not escaped challenges and obstacles after embracing Islam. One of the biggest challenges was overcoming the stigma and doubts from his surroundings, especially due to the fear of terrorism that is often associated with Islam. However, over time, Zaki managed to prove that Islam is a religion of peace, and he diligently continued to build harmonious relationships with his family and community.
In his religious practice, Zaki San strives to uphold worship with discipline, including praying on time, recitation, Friday prayers, and other Mualaf Center events. He also has high hopes for the future of the Mualaf Center, focusing on nurturing converts so that they truly understand Islam. In addition, Zaki continues to face daily challenges, such as difficulty finding halal food, but he remains steadfast in his faith and strives to create a supportive environment for the Muslim community in Japan.
(Anis Nur Safarina Zaenudin)