"Kindness of people around me makes me love Islam" - Kanako

Kanako Wakabayashi, 28, (third, right) said a prayer before breaking the fast with her friends at Gua Mat Soorat. Photo by Bernama

IPOH – The kindness of the people she encountered during her visit to Malaysia five years ago opened the heart of a Japanese woman to learn more about Islam, and she eventually embraced Islam by reciting the syahadah last year.

Kanako Wakabayashi, 28, could not forget the incident where she lost her phone back in 2019 at a restaurant in Kuala Perlis, Perlis during her visit there as a university student.

According to her, there was nobody around who could converse in English, making it difficult for her to ask for help except by using hand gestures but eventually, a husband and wife from that area gave her much-needed help.

“I encountered a wonderful family. I found my phone in the restaurant and everyone there clapped their hands because finally I found my phone. I was touched by their reaction because despite not being a Muslim, and even though they didn’t know me, they still greeted me warmly with kindness.

“After the incident, I wanted to go back to KL (Kuala Lumpur) but there was no bus or train because all were fully booked, and that’s when the nice family asked me to stay with them,” she told Bernama when met here recently.

Kanako Wakabayashi, 28, (right) said a prayer before breaking the fast with her friends at Gua Mat Soorat. Photo by Bernama

Kanako, who hails from Hitachi, Japan said the family allowed her to stay at their home for four days before she could go to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to board a flight back home.

When she got home, Kanako said she could not forget about what she encountered in Malaysia, and it had been a part that helped her to embrace Islam.

Last year, her Malaysian friend known as Athirah came to visit Japan and stayed for a night at her house in Hitachi.

“I followed her to the mosque that night, then suddenly I felt it was time for me to recite the syahadah and I did it accordingly. I realise that I didn’t make a popular decision but that’s what my heart tells me to do,” said Kanako who works at an extreme sports company.

Currently, Kanako is back in Malaysia for travel purposes and she takes advantage of the opportunity to learn more about Islam.

“I’m staying with a Muslim family here in Meru. They teach me more about Islam and I do seek help from other reliable sources and someone who has the authority to teach about Islam. I will be back home in Japan next month,” she said.

On her first time fasting as a Muslim during Ramadan this year, Kanako said it was tough because she had a fever on the first day, so she could not help but to break fast early.

“Although I failed on the first day, I still want to do it just like other Muslims. My friend told me it was okay to break fast early on the first day because I was not well, but I just drank water and took my medicine.

“I feel much better now, and I can fast as usual. Previously, I made a mistake by consuming a large amount of food during iftar, but now I’ve learned how to control my cravings so that I don’t feel bloated,” she said. – BERNAMA