The State Mufti's Office organised a certificate presentation and thanksgiving prayer ceremony yesterday for its employees that achieved excellence in various fields throughout this year.

During the ceremony, three officers who have been bestowed honorary medals in conjunction with the 70th birthday celebrations of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam were celebrated.

The three officers were the Deputy State Mufti, Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Japar bin Haji Mat Dain @Maidin, who was bestowed with the Most Eminent Order of Islam Brunei, Second Class (DSSUB), which carries the title of Dato Seri Setia. He received the bestowal on July 15, 2016.

Another two other officers who were bestowed with the Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei, Third Class (SMB) were Awang Haji Dinnie bin Haji Abdullah, Senior Istinbat Officer, and Dayang Hajah Safiyah binti Haji Tuah, Assistant Head of Qismul Hikmah. Both officers received their medals in August 2016.

Meanwhile, 27 former employees from the State Mufti's Office were also acknowledged during the ceremony together with team BUF (Fatwa Secretariat Section) comprising six staff who represented the department in the recent National Quality Control Circle Convention (KKC).

On hand to present the certificates was the guest of honour, the State Mufti, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Seria Dr. Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

In his speech, the State Mufti said that the ceremony is a way of remembering or reflecting on the blessings and pleasures bestowed by Allah the Almighty upon His servants.

A medal, he stressed, is a symbol of appreciation from the monarch to those who are bestowed with it and it is a blessing for which we must be grateful.

"Is this bestowal not a blessing? Indeed it is and we must be grateful for each and every blessing received. Allah the Almighty tells us to be grateful for blessings and pleasures. Hence our ceremony today is a ceremony of gratefulness for the blessings bestowed," he noted.

"Allah the Almighty's blessings and pleasures, be they big or small, plenty or few, they are all still blessings. Blessings and pleasures belong to Allah the Almighty and because they belong to Allah the Almighty, they would surely be great, remain great and be highly valuable. In fact they are priceless. For example, the air that we breathe now - it is a blessing and a pleasure. Who can estimate the value of this air that we breathe?"

"Similarly, the medal is a symbol of appreciation and appreciation is a blessing, a pleasure. It is appreciation from Allah the Almighty through the monarch for it is only with the permission of Allah the Almighty that the monarch extends his appreciation."

"Hence we must not forget both: Allah the Almighty and the monarch should not be forgotten. Allah the Almighty as the owner of blessings and pleasures and the monarch as the cause or the conveyer of blessings and pleasures. We therefore supplicate that the monarch will be blessed with happiness in this world and in the hereafter," he added.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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