Japanese trip

Ali Ahmad al-Jarjawi was born in the city of Girga in the Sohag Governorate in the 19th century. He learned the basics of reading and writing and memorized the Quran at a traditional Quranic school (kuttab). He then studied religious sciences before traveling to Cairo to further his studies at Al-Azhar University. He pursued freelance work, avoiding government employment, due to his observation of the British control over the country‘s affairs following the failure of the Urabi Revolt. He founded the newspaper "Al-Irshad," which he published and edited at the beginning of the 20th century, alongside practicing law before the Sharia courts. He later served as president of the Al-Azhar Scientific Society until his death. In 1906, he traveled to Japan to attend the Tokyo Conference of Religions, convened by the Japanese Emperor to invite religious scholars to present their faiths to the Japanese people. He financed his arduous journey entirely from his own funds, traveling by sea, which allowed him to see many coastal cities around the world. He is considered the first preacher of Islam in Japan in the modern era. He and one of the preachers from India established a center for Islamic preaching in Tokyo, and more than 12,000 Japanese people converted to Islam at his hands. The Emperor of Japan gifted him a precious watch in appreciation of his efforts. He was also among the first to confront the claims and fabrications of some orientalists against Islam.