Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

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Stained Glass - Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Photo by chem7

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque at Bandar Seri Begawan, Negara Brunei Darussalam, is considered as one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia Pacific . The construction of the mosque was completed on 26th September 1958. It is named after Omar Ali Saifuddin III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, the country is ruled by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei.

History

Prior to the building of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, there was no proper mosque in the capital city, then known as ‘Pekan Brunei’, and was named Bandar Seri Begawan in 1971 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien. The only mosque in Pekan Brunei at the time was built of timber and was called ‘Masjid Marbut Pak Tungal’. The mosque was built during the reign of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien’s grandfather, Sultan Mohammad Jamalul Alam II, the 26th Sultan of Brunei, and was located close to the place where the present-day, magnificent mosque is situated. The roof of the mosque was made of palm fronds and could accommodate 500 worshipers at a time. Brunei Darussalam, which was a regional maritime power before, was among one of the poorer nations in the world at the end of the First World War.

With the discovery of oil and gas in Padang Berawa (wild pigeon’s field), in July 1928, things changed dramatically. The country became one of the prized British colonies in the Southeast. The town of Padang Berawa, where the first well-started production of oil began, has since been named ‘Seria’. In 1967, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien ascended the throne upon the death of his elder brother who had no heir. He was well-educated and a devout Muslim. He started the construction of the mosque. He was also responsible for the construction of many other modern buildings and is called the ‘Modern Architect’ of Brunei.