Berakas: ?His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, emphasized the necessity for the Fatwa Institution and Fuqaha in the Mazhab Syafi’i to enhance their digital presence. This call to action aligns with the ongoing rapid developments in the digital era. His Royal Highness highlighted the importance of developing an authoritative, easily accessible, and user-friendly digital fatwa platform. His message was delivered during the Opening Ceremony of the Mazhab Syafi’i International Conference, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Fatwa Institution in Brunei Darussalam, held at the International Convention Centre, Berakas.
According to Radio Television Brunei, upon arrival, His Royal Highness was welcomed by Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Doctor Dayang Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Md Salleh, Minister of Education. The ceremony commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and doa led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar. This was followed by the reading of Surah Al-Alaq by Awang Mohammad Hamiz Mirza bin Haji Sudirman, a student from UNISSA.
Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, Rector of UNISSA, in his welcoming remarks, acknowledged the conference as a significant step in upholding fatwas amidst current challenges. He noted that being the first of its kind, the conference aims to significantly impact the efforts to reinforce the role of fatwas as dynamic and authoritative guidance for the ummah, relevant to contemporary realities.
His Royal Highness further articulated the vital role of the Fatwa Institution in preserving national policies and serving as the highest reference for religious matters. He expressed concern over the trend where individuals sideline official authorities in legal matters, opting for “Digital Ulama” or clerics for immediate answers. His Royal Highness cautioned that anyone could claim to be a ‘mufti’ or ‘ustaz’ in the digital realm.
Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Awang Haji Abdul Aziz Bin Juned, State Mufti, in a recorded presentation of the Premier Paper, stressed the emergence of main mazhab as a means to help humanity understand Islamic arguments, rather than causing division within the ummah.