Brunei Religion

Brunei’s national religion is the Shafeite sect of Islam, which is a Sunni subgroup of Malay origin. Shafeite Muslims, which make up 66 percent of the population, adhere to the Shafi school of Islamic law. The remaining percentage of the Muslim population consists of Chinese converts and Kedayans, who are converted indigenous tribes. Islam was introduced to Brunei in the 15th century when a Malay Muslim was given the title of sultan.

While the sultan is technically the head of the Islamic faith in Brunei, the Department of Religious Affairs is in charge of promoting and maintaining the daily functions of Islam. This includes a rather strict branch of Islamic police who uphold Islamic law. Alcohol is prohibited, as are things like holding hands in public and eating pork. The penalties for breaking these rules can be quite harsh. Impressively, however, other religions such as Buddhism and Christianity are allowed to practice in peace.

Islam

The world’s second-largest religion, Islam, is practiced by over one-fifth of the planet’s population. The word ‘Islam’ literally means ‘submission to God.’ The people of Brunei practice a Malay sect of Sunni Islam called Shafi, which was started by the first sultan in the 15th century. Around 60 percent of Muslims are Asian, 22 percent are from sub-Saharan Africa, and the rest are scattered across the Middle East and the rest of the world.

Islam was founded in 610 AD by the prophet Mohammed. During this historical period, polytheism was the dominant religious ideology in the world. Mohammed was an Arabic trader who had a vision during one of his trips, when an angel informed him there was only one god, and that his name is Allah.

Muslims use the Koran as their holy book, which is akin to the Bible. The Koran was supposedly dictated to Mohammed directly from Allah through the angel Gabriel. Muslims do not deny the role of Judaism and Christianity in their religion, likening them to kindred religions. But they do believe that Mohammed received the final revelation from God, making Islam the most important version of these monotheistic religions.

Muslims all over the world gather at mosques on Fridays to pray to God. During prayer, all Muslims face Mecca, which is the birthplace of Islam and the site of Mohammed’s vision. Some mosques separate men and women, while others allow them to pray in the same room with men in the front and women in the back. Devout Muslims pray five times each day at specified hours.

Buddhism

Before the official installment of Islam by the sultan in the 15th century, Brunei was a land of Malay Hindu-Buddhists. This report comes from Chinese references to Puli, the old name for the region of Brunei. One of the earliest kings was known by the Sanskrit name of Sang Aji (‘revered monarch’). Buddhism probably made its way to Brunei along trading routes, much as Islam did in later years. Today, Mahayana Buddhism is Brunei’s second-largest religion, with 16 percent of the population practicing this religion.

Buddhism was established by the Indian prince Siddhartha Gotama nearly 4,500 years ago. The Buddha, as he became known, was not a god but a man who achieved enlightenment through meditation. Buddhism is based on three ideas: dhamma, karma and sangha. Dhamma are the teachings of the Buddha which serve to guide devotees to a better life. Karma is the concept that each person is responsible for their actions and the consequences of them. Sangha is the idea that a person can improve their situation in life.

Although anyone can be a Buddhist, males traditionally spend a period of about three months studying as a monk in a temple. Ordinary Buddhists must adhere to five rules throughout their life:

  • Do not destroy life
  • Do not take what has not been given
  • Do not have illicit sexual relations
  • Do not lie
  • Do not take intoxicants