| Azlan Othman |
THE ‘Mushaf Brunei Darussalam and its Translation’ app was launched yesterday by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA).
Part of the ministry’s efforts to diversify the medium of and increase the effectiveness of Islamic propagation as a measure to increase cultural and religious practices in the country, the app was built as a project undertaken by the Islamic Da’wah Centre in collaboration with the Information Technology Division of Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and the Religious Ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (MABIMS) Al-Quran Studies and Dissemination Centre.
The app’s primary aim is to facilitate the reading of Al-Quran and easier understanding of its contents by the public. Correct Islamic references are also provided in the app for Muslims in the country to use both locally and throughout the world.
During its launch yesterday, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman said that the app is a compilation of the Mushaf Brunei Darussalam publication and its translation, including the first three chapters published in 2009 and an additional 30 chapters completed five years later in 2014.
“Alhamdulillah, the first phase for the app completed in 2018 is about ‘Mushaf Brunei Darussalam’ only, followed by Mushaf Brunei Darussalam and its Translation in the published version and tutorial display,” the minister said of the development of the app.
“In the near future, we will follow up with the second phase of the app, which will see the incorporation of the voices of local Al-Quran readers reciting the complete 30 chapters of the Mushaf.”
After the second phase, it is anticipated that the digital version of the Mushaf Brunei Darussalam – which is complete with its interpreter – will be further developed as a digital version of Al-Quran with the Brunei identity, such as the digital versions of some of the Quranic Mushaf available on social media presently.
“I am confident that the Islamic Da’wah Centre is capable of supporting and pursuing this mission simultaneously by developing local skills in the field of digital and info-technology,” the minister added.
Six Islamic Da’wah Centre publications were also unveiled during yesterday’s launch event: Looking Forward whilst Looking Backward, by Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman; Isra’ & Mi’raj: Generating Shalat and Munajat, by Pehin Jawatan Luar Pekerma Raja Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Md Zain bin Haji Serudin; Interview: The Perspective of Religious Development, Nation and Country, by Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman; Collection of Al-Quran verses and Hadiths Concerning Animals, by Nor Rashida binti Abdul Rahman and Jalijah binti Sable; Collection of Al-Quran verses and Hadiths on Marriage and Divorce, by Hajah Rokiah binti Mohammad and Latifah binti Haji Ismail; and Corpse Handling: Guidance and Practice, by the Planning, Research and Publication of the Islamic Da’wah Centre.
