Country Name: Brunei Darussalam

Government Type: Monarchy

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

Official Language and Script: Malay

Population: Over 500,000

Currency: Brunei Dollar (KHR)

Area: 5,765 square kilometers

It is a landlocked country in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) on the northwest coast of Borneo, between Brunei Bay and Baram Point, bordered to the north by the South China Sea and to the west and east by the state of Sarawak. Brunei is best known for its Sultan of Brunei and its legendary wealth. The country is located on the northwest coast of Borneo and has a warm and humid tropical climate. Brunei consists of two landlocked coastal territories. The (larger) western part is hilly; the eastern part is more mountainous and forested.

Brunei is divided into four provinces, each containing 38 districts.

The four provinces are: Belait, Tutong, Brunei-Muara and Temburong

Its main river is the Brunei, and the highest point in the country is Bukit Pagon (on the Malaysian border) at 1,850 m. Annual rainfall ranges from 250 cm on the coast to 500 cm in the mountains.

History of Brunei

Brunei was formerly a British protectorate, along with other parts of Malaysia. Brunei is the only part of this group that chose to remain a British protectorate in 1963 and not join Malaysia. The country gained independence in 1984 and oil was discovered in the country in 1929. The Sultan of Brunei is said to be the richest man in the world. Due to its abundant oil and gas resources and its population of less than one million, it has one of the highest living standards in the world.

Islam in Brunei

Ministry of Religious Affairs:

The Ministry of Religious Affairs was established based on the needs of Brunei to regulate religious affairs that are respected by the Muslim public. The duty of this ministry is to supervise the implementation of religious affairs and religious education at all levels of society. According to the programs of this institution, Islamic teachings are included for all levels of schools, and religious educational programs through radio and television are also among the items of public Islamic education that are pursued with special seriousness and diligence. The Muslims of this country are Shafi'i.

Implementation of Islamic Sharia law in Brunei:

Since April 1, 2014, Islamic Sharia law has been officially implemented throughout Brunei. Accordingly, Brunei is the first country in the Southeast Asian region to officially implement Islamic Sharia law. Although the implementation of Islamic laws will mainly target Muslims in this country, in some cases it will also include non-Muslims, which has caused some internal and external criticism and concerns among non-Muslim citizens of Brunei. According to Islamic Sharia law, severe punishments are prescribed for criminals, such as flogging for drinking alcohol, amputation of the hand for theft, and stoning for illicit sex.

Although Sharia law has existed in Brunei for a long time, Sharia courts have previously only dealt with family disputes such as marriage, divorce and inheritance.

At the opening ceremony of the 10th session of the Brunei Legislative Council, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, referring to criticism, called on the people to unite against the Sharia penal code. He added, "We should not worry about what people outside the country say about us. Because they are not familiar with how Brunei is run." He added: "Implementing the Sharia penal code is a responsibility that has been entrusted to us and the people must support it." Addressing foreign critics, he said: "Please respect us as we respect you."

Ramadan in Brunei

The holy month of Ramadan is celebrated with special respect in Brunei. During Ramadan, restaurants and eateries are closed from dawn to dusk and at iftar time and cannot accept any customers, but non-Muslims can buy ready-made food from restaurants or eateries and take it with them in a package.

Hajj in Brunei

The history of the Hajj in Brunei is tied to other Malay countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. In the language and culture of the Saudi people, pilgrims and people from these countries, from Thailand to Malacca and New Guinea, were known as Javanese or Javanese. Pilgrims from the Malay Archipelago were first transported to Saudi Arabia by Arab ships and then by English and Dutch steamships. These pilgrims spent some time in quarantine on the islands before entering Mecca.

All matters related to Hajj were the responsibility of the British Government Office before 1954. In that year, with the establishment of the Government Office of Religious Customs and Charity, the Hajj matter was transferred to it. Then, in 1960, the Hajj affairs were taken over by the Religious Affairs Office. In 1986, with the promotion of the Religious Affairs Office to the Ministry of Hajj Affairs, this matter was transferred to an independent office within this ministry.

The Hajj Affairs Office consists of four departments: management and financial affairs, international relations, admissions and publications. Planning and registering Hajj volunteers, holding intensive Hajj classes for volunteers, reviewing the Sharia rulings and rituals of Hajj on an ongoing basis, health affairs and medical examinations of pilgrims, implementing and supervising the provision of services during Hajj and Umrah ceremonies, granting licenses to private companies to handle Hajj affairs and supervising them, and managing Hajj flights are among the duties of the Hajj Office.

All travel, accommodation and hospitality matters for pilgrims in this country are the responsibility of caravans and tourist companies. Hajj education is provided by providing educational booklets and books. For pilgrims who are performing Hajj Tamattu for the first time, practical classes are also held by the Hajj Office. This office is responsible for preparing and presenting the annual Hajj report.