BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Friday sermon yesterday preached the importance of Muslims providing their full support towards the country’s efforts in carrying out Syariah law as that responsibility was commanded by Allah SWT.

Imams nationwide told congregants to look at the implementation of the Syariah law with an open mind, and view the law as promoting peace and prosperity.

“It is a fact that the Syariah criminal law brings clear truth, and its credibility is free from any influence and benefits of any groups or individuals,” imams said.

“The law is based on tanzim and tasyri (Islamic procedures and legislations) by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers, and is suitable to be followed by adhering to the laws of Allah SWT,” they added.

The Syariah law implemented in Brunei, said imams, is based on the teachings of the Quran, As-Sunnah, Al-Ijma’ (consensus of opinion on Islam) and Al-Qiyas (laws derived from analogical deduction based on the Quran and As-Sunnah on some similar situations), as well as other principles.

“The implementation of such laws adopted the views of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah – from the four imams namely Imam As-Syafi’e, Maliki, Hanafi and Hambali, however the views of Imam As-Syafi’e are given more prominence except on certain issues requiring views other that that of Imam As-Syafi’e,” said imams.

The enactment of such laws, said imams, coincides with what had been written in the Brunei Constitution (2008 edition), where Islam is the country’s official religion and follows the teachings of Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah through the views of Imam As-Syafi’e.

“Such teachings are not limited to the way people live and how they perform their religious duties, but also to the extent of making it the foundation of Islamic legislation and system of constitution in accordance with the Quran and As-Sunnah as the main source of laws,” said imams.

Imams also commended the country’s efforts to implement the law, coinciding with the notion of Hijrah that is interpreted as a transition from a satisfactory state of oneself to a much better condition

Imams added that it is an obligation for Muslims to uphold the teachings of Islam and practise it diligently, so that they will always be guided by Allah SWT.

The Brunei Times