Construction of Meguro Mosque, Tokyo

Bismillahirahmanirrahim,

The main function of establishment of a mosque is as a central point of Islamic activities for the people living in the surrounding environment. Rasullullah SAW functioning the mosque not only as a means place of maghdah worship (prayer, reading the Quran, itikaf, and remembrance) but also makes the mosque as Ma'had, ie information center, a center of education and teaching, the center of social activity, economic, and political (eg a place to set the a strategy, a gathering place, a place of resolving disputes.) This shows that the mosques in Islam has significance in many aspects of life in order to achieve the happiness of the world and the hereafter, as we often prayed.

Tokyo is one of the most important cities in the world with a population of more than 12 millions people. As the central of government and trade of Japan, Tokyo also been a haven and place of settling for various groups of people who came from every corners of the world. Despite the socio-cultural assimilation process, each community group is also trying to maintain its identity, so that the polarization of each group is still clearly visible within their values respectively.

Among the various immigrant communities in Tokyo, there are also people from Indonesia who are mostly Muslims (± 10,000 people). Among them was a long-stay and mingle after a few decades ago. Nevertheless, their personality traits are still very strongly related to Indonesian culture, friendly and familiar with each other. Their religious consciousness as Muslims is remains alive. In conscience they have the desire to have a forum as a place for keeping the good relationship (silaturrahim). Meanwhile the Indonesian Islamic Society in the city of Tokyo implements most of its activities in Balai Indonesia, located in the School of the Republic of Indonesia in Tokyo.

It shows that Islamic activities among Indonesian Muslim Society have been long pioneered. Through various experiences, in the last five years, Islamic religious proselytizing activities more so, although still in a very simple form, namely teaching from house to house and Balai Indonesia and the mushalla of the School of Republic of Indonesia in Tokyo. The existing facilities have been fully-utilized, but have not been sufficient to function as the Indonesian Muslims Community Activity Center. Based in these thoughts, various circles of the Islamic Society of Indonesia in Tokyo are determined to have a mosque that is not only able to accommodate the spiritual and social needs of the Islamic Ummah, but also sufficiently representative to show the culture of the Islamic Ummah in Indonesia as has been done by the Islamic Society from other countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Arab.

Meguro Mosque Committee