In this episode, a Japanese Imam, Ahmad Maeno, breaks down one of the most misunderstood topics in Islamic outreach to Japan: the true meaning of KAMI (神). Many Muslims assume that “KAMI = God,” but Japanese history, culture, and theology show a very different reality.
Drawing on classical scholarship such as Motoori Norinaga’s famous definition — describing KAMI as “anything extraordinary, above the ordinary, and awe-inspiring” — this video explains why KAMI has never meant “the Creator” or “One God” in the Islamic sense.
We explore the cultural background of Japanese spirituality, the modern us...