JEDDAH: Japanese living in the Kingdom are very much aware of the cultural aspects of Saudi society, according to Toshimitsu Ishigure, Japanese consul general in Jeddah.
“Some of the Japanese residents say they were impressed with the lectures given in their own tongue by two Saudis on some of the cultural aspects of Saudis, such as religion and weddings,” he said.
Abdulhafeez Samarkandi, a professor of geography at King Abdulaziz University, and Reda Saud Sijiny, president of Urban Phenomena-Architect & Design, studied in Japan in the 80’s and 90’s, respectively.
Speaking on “What is Islam,” Sijiny explained its fundamentals, monotheism, the history of Kaaba, and the Qur’an. He also dwelt on Japanese Muslims.
“The lecture was not only informative but also impressive and helped us enhance our understanding of Islam,” a Japanese resident said. Some of the participants said they could understand clearly certain aspects of Islam of which they only had very vague ideas.
Samarkandi, speaking on “Wedding in Saudi Arabia,” referred to the experiences of two of his daughters and outlined the meaning of marriage from the viewpoint of Islam, the role of parents, the dowry and other issues.
The audience interacted with the scholars in a bid to clear their doubts, while enjoying Saudi cuisine and Japanese delicacies.
