Japan

• ima nani shiteiru no? ― What are you doing now?

Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan, is deeply embedded in Japanese language and culture. Shintoism revolves around the worship of kami (spirits, deities, or natural forces).

• Example Words in Language:

  • Kami (神): Commonly translated as “god,” but it includes spirits of rivers, mountains, ancestors, and even man-made objects.
  • Jinja (神社): Shrines dedicated to different kami.
  • Tamagushi (玉串): Offerings to appease kami.

• Risk: By attributing divine essence to countless entities, Shinto fractures the concept of God into finite, localized forces. The language encourages polytheistic perceptions where creation itself is worshipped.

• Quranic Correction:
  The Quran explicitly rejects associating partners with Allah and clarifies divine unity:

  قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad):
  “Say, He is Allah, the One.” [Quran 112:1]

  Worship is for Allah alone, and nothing in creation shares in His essence.

The Japanese language does not have a word equivalent to Allah, the unique name of the One God in Arabic.

• Ambiguity in Words for “God”:

  • Kami (神): Represents divinity but lacks singularity and transcendence.
  • Hotoke (仏): Refers to Buddha or enlightened beings.
  • Ten (天): Sky or heaven, often used in a deistic sense (e.g., “Tenno” for emperor).

• Impact:
  Japanese vocabulary fails to distinguish between the Creator and creation, embedding pantheistic and polytheistic concepts into daily language.

• Quranic Clarity:
  Arabic distinguishes between Al-Khaliq (The Creator) and makhluq (creation):

  وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (Wallahu khalaqakum wa ma ta’malun):
  “And Allah created you and what you do.” [Quran 37:96]

  This sharp delineation corrects linguistic and conceptual ambiguity.

Buddhism, introduced to Japan in the 6th century, brought teachings centered around impermanence (mujo), emptiness (shunyata), and detachment.

• Buddhist Vocabulary:

  • Nirvana (涅槃): State of enlightenment; cessation of desire and suffering.
  • Mu (無): Nothingness or void.
  • Mono no aware (物の哀れ): Appreciation of the transient beauty of life.

• Philosophical Drift:
  Buddhist teachings emphasize detachment from worldly life, which often leads to spiritual apathy and nihilism in Japanese society. Concepts like mu (nothingness) and shunyata (void) encourage a worldview where existence itself is seen as futile.

  • Impact: This creates a culture of resignation rather than striving for higher purpose. It leads to emotional detachment and existential stagnation.

• Quranic Correction:
  Islam offers a clear purpose for human life: worship of Allah and accountability in the Hereafter. The Quran rejects nihilism:

  وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (Wa ma khalaqtu al-jinna wal-insa illa liya’budun):
  “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Quran 51:56]

  Life is meaningful, and worship is the central act that elevates human existence.

Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples dominate the Japanese religious landscape. Worship is directed at physical idols, natural phenomena, and ancestral spirits.

• Example Practices:

  • Ema (絵馬): Wooden plaques for prayers to kami.
  • Torii (鳥居): Sacred gates symbolizing entry into divine spaces.
  • Butsudan (仏壇): Household altars for honoring ancestors and Buddha.

• Theological Error: Idol worship assigns divinity to finite, created things. This is a fundamental violation of tawhid (oneness of Allah).

• Quranic Response:
  The Quran condemns idol worship as a grave misguidance:

  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ (Inna alladhina tad’una min duni Allahi ‘ibadun amthalukum):
  “Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah are servants like you.” [Quran 7:194]

  Allah alone is worthy of worship, and idolatry is an error that dooms individuals to misguidance.

Post-World War II Japan has embraced secular modernization, marginalizing traditional Shinto and Buddhist practices. However, spiritual voids remain.

• Secular Vocabulary:

  • Jinsei (人生): Life as a journey without explicit spiritual purpose.
  • Shakai (社会): Society-centered values replace spiritual accountability.

• Impact: Language reinforces materialism and societal pressure, replacing metaphysical goals with temporary, worldly pursuits.

• Quranic Corrective: Islam restores divine purpose through the remembrance of Allah (dhikr), ensuring balance between worldly and spiritual goals:

  أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ (Ala bidhikri Allahi tatma’innul qulub):
  “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” [Quran 13:28]

1. How does Shinto polytheism shape the Japanese perception of divinity, and why does it fail to satisfy the soul’s innate desire for tawhid (the oneness of Allah)?
2. In what ways does Buddhism’s focus on “nothingness” (mu) and impermanence lead to spiritual apathy? How does Islam restore purpose and certainty in life?
3. How can Muslims engage with Japanese individuals to introduce the concept of tawhid while respecting their cultural and philosophical context?
4. What role does language play in reinforcing false theological perceptions, and how can Quranic Arabic serve as a corrective tool for such distortions?