Needs analysis of halal matchmaking for Muslim marriage in Japan

• Main Authors: Sugimoto, Kyoichiro, Muflih, Betania Kartika, Mohd. Salleh, Hamzah, Kartiwi, Mira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) 2023
• Subjects: BPH117.5 Halal Education, Halal Training; HD9016.5 Halal Science
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/106024/7/106024_Needs%20analysis%20of%20halal%20matchmaking.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/106024/; https://unissa.edu.bn/journal/index.php/jhst/article/view/658
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Today, halal matchmaking services, such as halal apps and halal speed dating have appeared in many Muslim and non-Muslim countries. It is important that Muslims not only marry in a halal manner but also maintain a healthy family life after marriage. However, in Japan, where Muslims are an almost invisible minority, there are no services that provide halal matchmaking including pre-marriage education based on Maqasid al-Shariah. The purpose of the research is to analyse the need for halal matchmaking services in Japan. Halal matchmaking needs of single and divorced Muslims are to be determined. The researcher recruited potential participants for halal matchmaking through the social media of Chiba Islamic Cultural Center from 25 July to 21 August 2022. Single and divorced Muslims living in Japan who were able to communicate adequately in Japanese were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. Feedback was obtained through in-depth interviews with all the participants after the halal matchmaking. One hundred and eleven people registered their profiles. There were 109 valid answers (98.1%). Forty-one people responded to the preliminary interviews. Twenty people who attended the matchmaking were invited for feedback in-depth interviews. Barriers to finding a potential marriage partner among Muslims in Japan include the rarity of Muslims as a user of Japanese matchmaking services, time and money-consuming efforts and anxiety for marriage due to the lack of trust or assurance of individualistic marriage compared to that of communal marriages. Thus, community effort to develop halal matchmaking is needed for Muslims in Japan.