Brunei Capital

Bandar Seri Begawan - "Islam is a religion of faith and the adherence of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), which comprises the entire Muslim Ummah worldwide. We in Brunei are a part of this Ummah that have been given comfort by Allah the Almighty by adhering to His religion," noted Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs yesterday during the Hari Raya Aidiladha sermon.

The Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs delivered the special religious sermon on the occasion to mark the 'Feast of Sacrifice' ceremony at the Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque in Kampong Kiarong, echoing the titah that was delivered by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam a day earlier, in which the monarch warned the country once again of the dangers of malicious rumour-mongering against the sanctity of Islam.

"Our country Brunei has embraced Islam and made it a religion that is adhered to by our monarch, dignitaries and the majority of our people. This is not new and not over one or two generations and neither over 10 or 20 years. But over the centuries. Well over 500 years has it been adhered to and practised by the Muslim people and residents of this country. Respected by non-Muslim citizens and residents, they truly acknowledge the reality of Islam as the main religion of Brunei. They respect this," remarked the deputy minister.

"Under the leadership of our monarchy that is Malay and Islamic, for over 500 years the Muslim citizens and residents, as well as non-Muslims have continued to live in peaceful harmony, with full understanding as people and races of Brunei and always full of respect until today," he added.

However, he went on to point out the two factors that have ensured Islam to firmly take root in Brunei Darussalam's soil.

"The first is that is accepted and compatible with the political and sociocultural climate of Brunei through the ages. It is because of this that whenever there are indications of threats towards it, towards the purity of its teachings, even more so whenever the criticisms can threaten the establishment and stability of Brunei's monarchy, which is the head of the Islamic religion in the country, Brunei will not let it be. We will never accept it," emphasised Pehin Dato Hj Badaruddin.

"The second is that because it is advocated, spread and further propagated to the point that it is also defended as recorded through Brunei's history of how it has defended Islam, resisting attempts to convert it through wars by staunchly religious warriors such as during our history of the Castilla Wars in 1578," the deputy religious minister went on to pinpoint.

On October 26, 2009, the US Department of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour published its newest International Religious Freedom Report 2009, which was reported by the Bulletin on November 17. The report, which contained some 2,500 words, stated, "The (Brunei) Government was responsible for deterioration of religious freedom during the reporting period by further restricting religious freedoms for non-Muslims".

"For so long Brunei has enjoyed peace that among them is through the blessing of understanding and harmony by all layers of society that originate from different cultures and races, as well as of different beliefs and religions. Each holds dear to their own religion. And the other beliefs of other religions other than Islam are also enshrined in our Constitution."

He then said that Brunei has long held firm to the belief and practice of not permitting other religions be 'spread on its soil and that Brunei has strong reasons to do so. "First is the desire to solidify its Islamic faith. Second is that Brunei ever since 1578 has actively resisted the spread and propagation of other religions, for almost 500 years, ever since there was an attempt to convert it to Christianity by a foreign power."

The deputy religious minister then posed the question to the assembled congregation: "Therefore, is it reasonable that Brunei is now asked to change its policies that were intended purely to protect its sovereign right?"

In whatever circumstance, it is the duty of the citizens of Brunei, whether they are Muslims or not, that will remain the same and that is to protect our main priority, the priority of the nation's aspiration in a country that is sovereign and independent, as enshrined in the Declaration of Independence Day, whereby it was decreed that the people of Brunei Darussalam would always endeavour for the safety and stability, well-being and prosperity of the citizens whilst cultivating its friendly relations within the international community based on the principles of respect towards independence, sovereignty, harmony and unity amongst nations that is free from foreign intervention.

"This is our national aspiration that is independent and sovereign. This is the national priority that must be protected and achieved with proper care. It can be further augmented through the principles that are based on the Islamic laws of Allah the Almighty's religion of which there are five - protecting religion, protecting life, protecting education, protecting our heritage and protecting property - which altogether have been encapsulated as our main mission as a nation and through the endeavours of government agencies and leadership structures," the deputy minister noted.

The issue of religious tolerance was raised recently that was reported of a deterioration and implied that the government was to blame. It was based on a foreign report where part of its task is to monitor and scrutinise human rights including what had been. described as religious freedom of the country.

The Aidiladha sermon was delivered in part to directly address this report, explaining how and why Brunei had every right to defend its faith and citing the bitter memories of the attempts to subjugate the country, its people and its religion to accept other faiths by force or subjugation.

In the second part of yesterday's Aidiladha sermon, Pehin Dato Hj Badaruddin appealed directly to the younger generation of the country.

"It is the children of Brunei, the future generations that will undoubtedly carry our hopes of holding true to Islam as their faith and their laws. Just as we have confidently held onto the beliefs of Islam for the good of Brunei is exactly how our future generations should also do so accordingly."

The deputy religious minister cited an excerpt of His Majesty's titah that the monarch delivered during a visit to the Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University on November 9 recently as the raison d'etre for Brunei's nationhood: "For Brunei Darussalam itself, there is no meaning in glory without religion as Islam is Brunei's core. Without Islam, means that Brunei has no flesh and blood. And without Islam, Brunei is not equipped."

The Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs then focused the sermon directly to the youth and future generations by reminding them that as the country's future inheritors and nation's legacy, "We should encourage them to ponder upon this poignant titah by the monarch with full realisation and make it an inspiration that will further propel our love for our country and its people that have been ordained by Allah the Almighty who continue to receive His blessings by accepting Islam, which glorifies Allah the Almighty, to which they must hold dear to".-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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