Bandar Seri Begawan - Istana Nurul Iman opened its doors last night for thousands of Bruneians to participate in the Terawikh prayers followed by Tadarus. As is the case with previous years, Istana Nurul Iman hosts thousands of Muslims to enliven and glorify the holy month of Ramadhan.
Those who come to make up the mass congregation at the palace come from near and far, with the aim of being one amongst the thousands who fulfil their religious duties by participating in the religious activities which take place at the Istana. Close circuit cameras allow the huge number of people who attended to follow the prayers at various sections of the palace which begin with the Isyak prayers followed by the Tadarus.
Last night the opening Tadarus ceremony was attended by 60 male teachers from Brunei Muara I and 120 female teachers from Brunei Muara II. They were joined by various youth congregations of mosques and the mass public.
During the month of Ramadhan a whole host of religious activities takes place at Istana Nurul Iman in the capital of Brunei Darussalam and as such the authorities take great lengths to ensure that religious duties can be done with peace of mind.
Alongside the Istana officials who have set up the various sections in the Palace for the nightly activities such as areas for ablution, halls for the recital of the al-Quran and preparation of the Surau, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Royal Brunei Police Force and medical teams are also heavily involved during the course of the holy month.
The Royal Brunei Police Force and Royal Brunei Armed Forces ensure that security and traffic is in order respectively. The large amounts of traffic that is received by Jalan Tutong is diverted to allow smoother flow of traffic for those who are making their way to the palace and to avoid accidents or injury. Meanwhile medical staff is also on standby at the palace to cater for any contingencies.
Source: www.bruneitimes.com (15 September 2007)
