The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Friday, January 10, 2025, and was led by Fatih Karim, founder and advisory board member of the foundation.
"The As-Sholihin Yokohama Mosque is a true form of the mission of Islamic Da'wah full of love in the Land of the Rising Sun. We hope this mosque will not only be a place of worship but also be a center for social activities, which will strengthen intercultural community relations in Japan," stated Fatih Karim in a release shared with Tempo.
The mosque will occupy 397 square meters of land and will have a total area of 650 square meters, designed to host more than 600 worshippers.
With the involvement of a Japanese architect, the project aims to combine modernity and functionality. "In Japan, all buildings are taken into consideration, including this mosque. The plan is to build this mosque on three floors with a modern building and of course comfortable for worship," Karim added.
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Funding for the mosque, estimated at Rp40 billion (roughly $2.4 million), has been supported by donations from Muslims in Indonesia.
Designed as a multifunctional facility, the mosque will include spaces for prayer, an area for new converts, an Islamic financial center (Bayt al-mal), a halal market, and facilities for Islamic education and community events.
Karim also shared that, even before the mosque's completion, the site has already played a significant role in fostering faith. "Alhamdulillah, with Allah's guidance, many Japanese citizens have finally embraced Islam at the place where this mosque will be built, hopefully, more people will flock here to declare their faith," he said.
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Muhammad Al Aula, Coordinator of the Information and Socio-Cultural Function at the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, noted the growing presence of Indonesians in Japan, now numbering 173,000. He emphasized the importance of the mosque not only for Muslims but for broader community harmony.
"We hope that the As-Sholihin Mosque will be a beacon of hope for the goodness of humanity on earth. This mosque is in the middle of the Japanese community who may not be Muslims, but this should not become a barrier that limits, because Islam was revealed as a blessing for all humanity," Al Aula said.
Source: Agencies