After the 2014 court agreement, which forced the mosque administration to recognize the right of community members to participate in mosque governance, many hoped that true reform had finally begun.
a group of committed Muslim brothers came together to break the deadlock.
Their goal was simple:
To restore order, unity, and fairness by organizing the mosque’s internal structure, defining clear rules, and preparing for the first proper elections based on both the mosque’s constitution (Teikan) and new practical regulations.
🟢 What is the Shura Council?
The Shura Council (Kansa Iin / Islamic Council of Kobe Mosque) is a key decision-making body in Kobe Mosque. It is one of the three permanent bodies that manage the mosque's affairs.
📌 Purpose and Role
The Shura is a brotherhood council of 15 volunteer members.
Their mission is to serve and protect the mosque and the Muslim community, without regard to ethnic group or nationality.
They represent the Islamic spirit of consultation (shura) and work for the common good.
Members of the Shura Committee who signed the new rules:
- Aftab Mohammed
- Asaduzzaman Chowdhury
- Abdul Rabin Yamaguchi
- Khan Shah Jehan
- Mohammad Qatamish
- Ahmad Ilyas Jan
- Marwan Said
- Hassan Ahmed Ansari
- Naveed Azumi
- Shams Hojjat
- Mustafa Sami
- Awa Shahja
These respected brothers all signed the official Shura document, which laid down fair and transparent procedures for selecting general members and conducting elections. Their work was not political — it was a call for justice and community unity.
The First Free and Fair Election in Kobe Mosque History
With the Shura guidelines in place, th
e first real election in the history of Kobe Mosque took place.
What made it historic?
It was the first election based on the Teikan (the mosque's official constitution)
The election was organized and supervised by the Shura Committee
The Teikan was respected, but since it lacked specific details about election procedures, the Shura rules were used to complete and guide the process
From a pool of qualified candidates, six members were chosen to form the new official mosque board — marking the beginning of a new chapter based on transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility.
The Elected Members (as shown in the official board list):
Mr. Abdul Rahim Yamaguchi – Chairman
- Mr. Abdullah Muhammad Qasim – Secretary (Vice President)
- Mr. El Debs Sobhi Fouad – Chief Finance, Accounting and Construction
- Mr. Mia Yasin – Finance, Accounting and Construction (Assistant)
- Mr. Ilyas Ahmad – Administration, Religion and Cultural Affairs
- Mr. Siddiqi Sultan M – Administration, Religion and Cultural Affairs
This team represented different nationalities, backgrounds, and experiences — all united by a shared vision for an open and fair mosque.
For the first time in decades, the Kobe Muslim community had a real say in its mosque’s future.
No longer was it controlled by secret decisions behind closed doors.
No longer were elections “unnecessary” or members excluded.
This election was the fruit of patience, unity, and the courage to act.
But as history has shown, every victory invites challenges.
What happened next?
That will be revealed in the next part of the story.