During my week-long stay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I woke up each morning to the sound of prayers from a mosque—a place of worship for Muslims—near my hotel. Being unfamiliar with both Malaysia and Islam, even such seemingly small moments felt new and became valuable learning experiences.

This seminar aimed to provide participants with an understanding of Malaysia’s history and culture as a multi-ethnic nation with Islam as its state religion. It also focused on the development of Malaysia’s economy and capital markets while introducing basic knowledge of Islamic finance.

I applied for this seminar because I work in the financial industry and have a strong interest in financial products based on the principle of zero interest, a distinctive feature of Islamic finance. I believed that learning about such systems could help me generate ideas from a fresh perspective in my work. Moreover, the opportunity to learn directly from professors at local universities and professionals in the local banking industry seemed invaluable—an experience I was unlikely to encounter in my private life or work. Given my limited two years at ABS, I wanted to absorb as much knowledge as possible, which motivated me to join the seminar.

During the seminar, we participated in a two-day summer program at the University of Malaya Business School. There, we explored the structure of Islamic financial products and services, the state of ICT in Malaysia, and insights into building organizational culture in a multi-ethnic society like Malaysia, which includes Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities. At Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), we learned about the history of Islamic finance and the "Sharia screening" process, which evaluates whether financial products comply with Islamic doctrine. We even had the opportunity to play board games designed to help us better understand these concepts. Additionally, we visited an Islamic bank, where we met with the Chief Social Finance Officer (CSFO) and learned about trends in Islamic finance in real-world business contexts. At every institution we visited, the lecturers and staff warmly welcomed us, extended generous hospitality, and answered our questions with great care, making the experience all the more enriching.

One particularly unforgettable visit was to Pusat Pungutan Zakat (PPZ), an agency responsible for collecting zakat. Zakat is an Islamic almsgiving system in which a certain percentage of one’s wealth is given to those in need. As someone unfamiliar with this practice, I found it unimaginable that saving money in a bank would not yield interest and might even decrease one’s savings due to zakat. However, the Islamic perspective of fulfilling this as a religious obligation was an eye-opening learning experience that broadened my worldview.

Learning opportunities extended beyond classroom lectures. Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity is reflected in its cuisine, and we had the chance to explore a wide variety of dishes, including halal food—foods and dishes permitted for Muslims— and traditional Malaysian cuisine. (Personally, Malaysian food suited my taste perfectly, making it a truly satisfying week!) Additionally, we experienced city tours, including visits to mosques, and were even invited to the home of a Malaysian-Chinese friend of Professor Ichino, who accompanied us. These experiences gave us a deeper understanding of Malaysia. Though it was only a week, the satisfied expressions of my ABS peers remain a vivid memory.

Several months have passed since I returned to Japan, but as I reflect on the experience, I find myself nostalgic for the morning call from the mosque. If given another chance to visit, I would love to wake up to that sound again and explore regional cities in Malaysia.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone at the Malaysian institutions we visited, the ABS secretariat, and Professors Hosoda and Ichino for providing us with such a meaningful and enriching experience. Thank you very much.