Muhammad Safa, a Volga Tatar refugee, found solace in Japan with his family, who took refuge there. His father, also named Muhammad Safa, was an imam who fought on the side of the Whites during the tumultuous Russian Civil War. The family's subsequent move to Turkey granted them Turkish citizenship, and Muhammad Safa grew up in the impoverished Tokyo district of Shitamachi.
As World War II drew to a close, Turkey's sudden shift in allegiance to the Allies in February 1945 led to Muhammad Safa's imprisonment for forced labor, along with other perceived enemy aliens. This period of hardship marked a significant chapter in his life.
In the 1960s, Muhammad Safa emerged as a prominent media figure, and it wasn't until 1971 that he decided to take on Japanese citizenship. His life was cut short due to the devastating effects of laryngeal cancer, and he was laid to rest at the Foreigners' Muslim Cemetery in Tokyo.
Tragedy struck again just two years later, in 1984, when his father passed away, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.
