WI: Islam spreads to Japan

From what I read in early 1500's islam spread to Luzon up to Aparri, what if the Japanese traders and pirates pick up islam and convert to islam due to trading with the Malays there in the 16th century and help introduce islam to japan..could the Bruneian missionaries and Ottoman missionaries go to Japan as well?

How would the shoguns react to the muslims.
 
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Eventually, the third Muhammad, Maometh, combines Islam with Buddhism to create the zensunni faith.




Jokes aside, its hard to say. Christianity didn't do well early on and had a much harder time of weathering the storm of oppression than Buddhism did. Like China, Japan is a country where religion very much adapts to the people to survive, and the practices of the hidden Christians was such that we can see Buddhist influences in its isolation.

Now Islam has certainly proved adaptable too (contrary to popular belief), but I see two challenges with it being sustained in meaningful numbers.

1) Japans religions arguably jelled better with Christianity. The complexity of Christ's nature as a god and man was very familiar to Japan which had told stories from Hindu mythology for generations. His descending down to hell, suffering to liberate others is also very understandable from the perspective of Mahayana Buddhism in which the Bodhisattva's were claimed to do similar things. Not only is the nature of Christ very different in Islam, but Muhammad as a "character" doesn't have as good a link to Japanese culture (that I am aware of anyway).
Also, Christianity in Japan merged with Shinto very well, allowing Japanese Christians to worship the emperor and Christ, something a lot harder to justify with Islam.

2) Japan largely adopted religion as it became endorsed by local powers. Buddhism went from persecution to very popular with links to China. Christianity did so with links to western powers. Islam would need a great power that has regular interactions with Japan for the Shoguns to be more tolerating of it.
 
In a DBWI, Isfendil and I hypothesised what Japanese hijab might look like (posts are IC):

One minor example would be the Japanese version of hijab - how Japanese Muslim ladies decided that elaborate wigs worked just as well for covering their real hair as a scarf did. Of course, among more the more religious ladies it looks kind of unusual - they cover their faces, even though it looks like they're not only showing but emphasising their hair :D

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Arguably their use of those ornate metal masks for their Niqabs' face coverings is even more unusual. Especially when they cover the wig with the cloth, and then embroider the cloth with floral patterns and . . . You know what, let's delve into that abyss later.
 
From what I read in early 1500's islam spread to Luzon up to Aparri, what if the Japanese traders and pirates pick up islam and convert to islam due to trading with the Malays there in the 16th century and help introduce islam to japan..could the Bruneian missionaries and Ottoman missionaries go to Japan as well?

How would the shoguns react to the muslims.

Could it be a Sufi religion ? Would a convert Samurai class adapt a new code ? Would they mix their principles of Bushido with Sufi elements ? Maybe there are Derwish orders mixing elements of Shintoism, Bhuddism and Sufi religion ?
 
Hmmm. What time did Hindu-tinged Buddhism get to Japan? Maybe Islam gets swept in from some invaders if done earlier enough, or the Hui traders of the Silk Road decided to spread their religion a bit. If so, I can imagine where the Japanese believe that Islam comes from Mongolia. I expect stuff about angels and djinn might leak into creation stories. Djinn coming from fire, angels form are, men from earth.... something separate for the various deities and spirits of Japan, perhaps?
 
Hmmm. What time did Hindu-tinged Buddhism get to Japan? Maybe Islam gets swept in from some invaders if done earlier enough, or the Hui traders of the Silk Road decided to spread their religion a bit. If so, I can imagine where the Japanese believe that Islam comes from Mongolia. I expect stuff about angels and djinn might leak into creation stories. Djinn coming from fire, angels form are, men from earth.... something separate for the various deities and spirits of Japan, perhaps?
I'd say it's pretty compatible ;), though knowing them, and other numerous islamic cultures, they'd blend it with Shinto to a greater extent. Albeit it would shift Shinto's lense somewhat. I predict long discussions about the definition of Kami by Japanese Muslim theologians.
 
I'd say it's pretty compatible ;), though knowing them, and other numerous islamic cultures, they'd blend it with Shinto to a greater extent. Albeit it would shift Shinto's lense somewhat. I predict long discussions about the definition of Kami by Japanese Muslim theologians.
I was more thinking of the timing. Need to have it at a point where it has time to sink in. Come to think of it, didn't the non-Buddhist Hinduism that came into Japan come from Bali? If so, might take even longer for Islam to come along, if it goes along the routes the Hindus took. Though I think that it was mostly merchants taking some attributes of foreign deities and building shrines for them. I do wonder if Islam would allow that much. Might also be issues if they try building statues for Allah, since there is no description of him. None for God of Christianity and Judaism either (yes, I know it is all the God of Abraham, but Islam is rather different in a couple regards. Such as forbidding trying to make images of him. Same with Judaism I guess. For good reason, as early on there were problems everywhere with icons for Christians, when things were less churches for preaching and more gilded temples), but.... what was I thinking again? Ahh yes, lot of stuff with the Madonna and Child for Catholics back then. Anyways, Christianity would be a bit more compatible in that the Japanese would take the saints, angels, demons, folkloric heroes, etc that had built up over the centuries and fold them into their own system. Saint means "holy" so I imagine people might have it that Bhodvisstas(however that is spelled) where those who reached enlightenment staying in one place (they might compare hermits and monks to that) while saints would be those who walked the world, spreading enlightenment or suffering greatly as martyrs and reaching the equality of suffering and joy some Buddhists believe in by having the suffering by balamaced by entrance into Heaven. Islam would... well, we really need to decide which cultures introduce it. They were all quite different. Ahh right, it mentions that in the first post. Well, I will give it more thought.
 
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2) Japan largely adopted religion as it became endorsed by local powers. Buddhism went from persecution to very popular with links to China. Christianity did so with links to western powers. Islam would need a great power that has regular interactions with Japan for the Shoguns to be more tolerating of it.

Hm... Mughal or Ottoman wank?
 
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