| Lyna Mohamad |
HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam, yesterday graced the 72 Times Khatam Al-Quran ceremony by members of the mukim and village consultative councils and students nationwide.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with His Majesty’s 72nd birthday celebration at the Banquet Hall of the Istana Nurul Iman and saw the participation of 1,790 people.
Upon arrival, Their Majesties were greeted by Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, Private and Confidential Secretary to His Majesty Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Mohd Nawawi bin Pehin Orang Kaya Shahbandar Haji Awang Mohd Taha and the Grand Chamberlain Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana Pengiran Haji Alauddin bin Pengiran Paduka Tuan Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar in his capacity as the co-advisor of the Executive Committee for the 72 Times Khatam Al-Quran by members of the mukim and village consultative councils and students nationwide.
Also in attendance were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Raabi’atul ‘Adawiyyah binti Pengiran Haji Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir; and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.
Also gracing the ceremony were Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Majeedah Nuurul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Ameerah Wardatul Bolkiah; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Amal Umi Kalthum Al-Islam and other members of the royal family.
The Khatam ceremony also saw the participation of His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and grandchildren of His Majesty, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Abdul Hafeez bin Pengiran Anak Khairul Khalil and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Raihaanah Hanaa-UI Bolqiah binti Pengiran Anak Khairul Khalil.
The ceremony began with a mass recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, led by the State Mufti, followed by the mass recitation of Al-Quran verses by the participants, led by Muhammad Azib bin Muhammad Azim, a Year 9 Youth Al-Quran Reading Scheme student at the Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB).
The ceremony continued with the recitation of Takhtim and Tahlil by officers and religious teachers from the Islamic Studies Department and the Mosque Affairs Department and the Doa Khatam read by Muhammad Azib.
A Dikir Marhaban followed after the Doa, performed by Mosque Affairs Officers from Mosque Affairs Department and female officers and religious teachers of the Islamic Studies Department. To bless the ceremony, a Doa Selamat was read by the State Mufti.
Prior to leaving the ceremony, His Majesty also consented to receive the Junjung Ziarah from the male Khatam participants while Her Majesty received the Junjung Ziarah from the female Khatam participants.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah also received the Junjung Ziarah from the Khatam participants.
The 72 Times Khatam Al-Quran by members of the mukim and village consultative councils and students aimed to seek Allah the Almighty’s blessing for His Majesty’s health, longevity and continued reign as the ruler of Brunei Darussalam with guidance from Allah the Almighty.
It also served as a platform for the people to express gratitude to Allah the Almighty for the blessing the Sultanate to remain in peace and harmony under the wise leadership of His Majesty and to proclaim support for His Majesty’s vision to transform Brunei Darussalam into a Zikir and Al-Quran literate nation.
The Khatam participants comprised members of mukim and village consultative councils from the country’s four districts and selected students from ITQSHHB, Arabic schools and Youth Al-Quran Reading Scheme, boys and girls aged 12 and below from Arabic and religious schools, the Under-10 Khatam Al-Quran Scheme as well as students from colleges and higher learning institutions under the Ministry of Education.
The ceremony marked the climax of events that demonstrated the closeness of the country’s people to Al-Quran and the warm relationship between the monarch and his subjects.
The ceremony also served to instil and nurture the culture of Al-Quran reading and the practice of Al-Quran teachings as a way of life to invoke blessings and rewards from Allah the Almighty.