Islam—Brunei
As a Malay Islamic kingdom, independent Brunei Darussalam has undergone a profound Islamization of institutions and society. The temporal leader and head of religion in Brunei, the reigning sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah (b. 1946), wields absolute power. Just as the Sunnite orthodoxy is closely invigilated in Brunei Darussalam, so too the institutions of government share many of the features of Middle Eastern dynastic rule.
The date at which Islam entered Brunei is controversial, just as the date of conversion of a pre-Islamic ruler, likely a Hinduized maharaja, is unknown. By the early sixteenth century Brunei was a Muslim state. Nevertheless, Muslim merchants, including those from China, were active in Brunei by the thirteenth century. Conversion of the largely animist peoples outside of Brunei's royal center only gained ground in the last century, a process that continues to this day through marriage or active Islamic proselytization. However, more than is officially admitted, pre-Islamic beliefs frequently coexist with more doctrinal forms and practices.
Stemming from closer links with Mecca and the influence of pan-Islamic ideas promoted by the Ottoman sultan in the nineteenth century, a more scripturalized Islam took root in Brunei that superseded informal tariqa, or mystical, orders. Equally, the imposition of the British Residency system in Brunei between 1906 and 1959 introduced many innovations in the application and administration of Islamic law.
But with the rising tide of the Islamic resurgence in the 1980s, the religious authorities in Brunei have determinably harnessed the oil-rich state's resources to such pro-Islamic actions as the endowment of mosques and religious schools, sponsorship of the pilgrimage, and the mainstreaming of religious education in the nation's schools and universities. By the 1990s, Islam had been elevated as the leading prop of an arcane intellectual indoctrination in official history and religion termed Malay Islam Beraja (monarch), the mastery of which has become a loyalty test for all Brunei youths. In responding to the international Islamicist challenge, Islamic conservatism in Brunei has not only touched the style and demeanor of the sultan but has also stimulated the push for the total Islamization of Brunei society. For example, Arabized script, or Jawi, and even the Arabic language have seen new life in the Brunei education curriculum in a discourse where secular and liberal have become suspect categories. Still, civil law, which is based on British precedent and lifestyle, including gender relations, is more relaxed than in Brunei's MiddleEastern counterparts. Moreover, no apparent contradiction exists between ostentatious materialism, especially on the part of the Brunei royal family, and Islamic rectitude to which the ummat, or community of believers, are obliged to conform.
The Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan. (CHARLES & JOSETTE LENARS/CORBIS)Further Reading
Iik Arifin Mansurnoor. (1992) "Islamic Reform in Brunei 1912–1915: Introductory Remarks." In Essays on Modern Brunei History, edited by Tan Pek Leng, Geoffrey C. Gunn, B. A. Hussainmiya, and Iik Arifin Mansurnoor. Gadong, Brunei Darussalam: Department of History, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
Saunders, Graham. (1994) A History of Brunei. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Oxford University Press.
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