[asia-apec 1578] APEC Finance Ministers Spouses Programme

[APEC Monitoring Group]

Borneo Bulletin Sunday 10 Sep 2000

Spouses visit SOAS mosque


By Mohd Bahrin

APEC Finance Ministers' spouses inside the mosque.


Getting a briefing from Malai Norain Mohamed.
Why are Muslims permitted to have four wives? Is it necessary to perform
ablution before prayers? Do they have to pray five times a day? Why should
we open our shoes before entering a mosque?

Those are some of the many questions asked by the wives of finance ministers
from the APEC member economies.

The spouses made a short visit to one of the famous landmarks in Brunei, the
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital yesterday afternoon.

It seems the Islam religion and its developments and the spread in the
country was quite a very unknown chapter for them. This was the opportunity
for them to learn about the official religion of the country and its role in
the national concept of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB).

During their visit, they were briefed on the details of the mosque and its
beautiful architecture build by the 28th Sultan of Brunei and the "Architect
of Modern Brunei" by the Public Relations Officer from the Ministry of
Religious Affairs, Malai Norain Mohamed. They were told the ethics and
respect for mosques. Muslim followers always considered that mosques as holy
places and houses of Allah.