The State Mufti (Malay: Mufti Kerajaan) is the most senior and most influential Sunni Muslim Ulema (religious and legal authority) in Brunei. The holder of the position is appointed by the Sultan of Brunei. The State Mufti is the head of the all Ulema in Brunei.
Role
The State Mufti is the most senior religious authority in the country. His main role is to give opinions (fatwas) on legal matters and on social affairs base on Islamic Koran, Hadeeth, Qiyas and Ijma' of Ulema.[1]
History
The first State Mufti of Brunei was Ismail Omar Abdul Aziz from 1962 to 1965. He had been Mufti of Johore in Malaysia. In 1967, Ismail again became Brunei's State Mufti until his death. In 1994, Brunei-born Vice State Mufti Abdul Aziz Juned became the country's State Mufti.[2]
List of state muftis
State Mufti
| Portrait
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term end
|
Time in office
|
Ref.
|
|
Ismail Omar Abdul Aziz
|
1 April 1962
|
31 March 1965
|
2 years, 364 days
|
[3]
|
| 8 March 1967
|
3 February 1994
|
26 years, 332 days
|
|
Abdul Aziz Juned
|
1 September 1994
|
Incumbent
|
30 years, 127 days
|
[4]
|
Deputy State Mufti
| Portrait
|
Minister
|
Term start
|
Term end
|
Time in office
|
Ref.
|
|
Suhaili Mohiddin
|
1 September 1994
|
31 August 2015
|
20 years, 364 days
|
[5]
|
|
|
Japar Mat Dain @ Maidin
|
1 September 2015
|
Incumbent
|
9 years, 127 days
|
[5]
|
References
