BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE State Mufti yesterday preached the importance of the Islamic art of public speaking, which should always be truthful and not malicious.

YB Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Hj Awg Abd Aziz Juned said public statements must be truthful, not based on lies or jokes.

Second, it must not contain any elements of maliciousness or slander. Crude or offensive speeches are also unIslamic, he said.

The State Mufti made the remarks during a workshop on Islamic art of speaking and writing, held together with the Brunei Darussalam Islamic Literature Festival 2015 at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports yesterday.

He went on to say that public speeches should contain wisdom and advice before they can be labelled as Islamic.

Citing the Quran, Surah An-Nahl, verse 125, YB Pehin Dato Hj Awg Abd Aziz said, “This verse should be the ultimate guide for all Muslim public speakers. There is no need to find other methods (of public speaking)…. This is a divine method which is unmatched by any other methods devised by mankind. (If) we use this method, it’s adequate.”

He added that the content of the speech must meet its objectives and requirements.

In conveying the truth, one must not be rude, even towards rivals or enemies. This reflects how Islam takes into consideration the art of public speaking.

“The Islamic art of public speaking is to incur insaf (repentance) to the audience; not to provoke anger or excessive excitement until people laugh out loud. Those who are insaf will cry (listening to the statements),” he added.

Organised by the Language and Literature Bureau, the workshop gathered local and foreign writers, literary enthusiasts as well as students from as Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPU SB) and Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

Also in attendance at the workshop were Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah and Singapore’s Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Masagos Zulkifli.