facts on Masjid Omar 'Ali Saifuddien

I went to the Brunei Museum and Royal Regalia Building with the intention of KNK. It's a shame that I just visited the Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque exhibition, where it was launched way back in October last year. I didn't come home empty-handed, I had gained some new knowledge :-)

the mosque in 1958

the programme book on Opening ceremony of the mosque

detailed run-down

souvenirs on Opening Ceremony (note the flag)

sketch of the mosque

Royal inspection during the construction

Quick facts on Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque:

• designed by Cavalieri R. Nolli, an Italian
• based on early sketch prepared by the late Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien & assisted by late Awang Besar Sagap, a PWD draughtsman
• work started on building the mosque on Monday, 1 Jamadilakhir 1373 corresponding to 4th February 1954
• sited on a 5 acre land
• 225 feet in length and 86 feet in width
• capacity of about 3,000 jemaah
• the minaret is 166 feet in height
• officially opened by Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien on Friday, 13 Rabiulawal 1378 corresponding to 26th September 1958

- artificial barge (157 feet long & 31 feet wide) located in the lagoon was completed in 1967

- the barge is a replica of a 16th century Sultan Bolkiah mahligai barge, was used to stage Al-Quran reading competitions

- the barge was built to commemorate the 1,400th anniversary of Nuzul Al-Quran in 18 December 1967

mosque appeared on Brunei currency note

References:

• Masjid Omar Ali Saifuddin Negara Brunei Darussalam, Pusat Da'awah Islamiah, Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama, Negara Brunei Darussalam, 1992

• Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Rozan Yunos (Golden Legacy), available online: www.bruneiresources.com/goldenlegacy/tgl_masjid_soas.html

• "Peraliran Di Dalam Rekabentuk Masjid Di Negara Brunei Darussalam", Pengiran Adnan bin Pengiran Badarudin, available online: www.bruneiresources.com/pdf/masjid_pgadnan_rekabentuk1.pdf

• Pusaka - Berita Penyelidikan dan Kegiatan Pusat Sejarah Brunei, Bil. 16, 2008, pp42-43.

Masjid SOAS in 70s

I scanned these images from Brunei Annual Report 1974 and 1977. Notice that only the dome of the Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque is gold encrusted, the minaret was then in white.

scanned from Brunei Annual Report 1974

scanned from Brunei Annual Report 1977

Commemorative stamp

from Media Permata, 27th Sept, 2008:

13 cawangan pos kena serbu peminat setem

Oleh Hasrulraizan

Kalangan penggemar setem dan sampul surat hari pertama bersama kedua-dua cenderahati kenangan yang dibeli.
Pengiran Haji Muhammad (kiri) bersama penggemar lain sedang memilih pemegang kunci kenangan yang hendak dibeli.	Sekitar suasana kesibukan di kaunter Galeri Setem Pejabat Pos Bandar Seri Begawan.
Setem dan sampul surat hari pertama yang dipamerkan di Galeri Setem Pejabat Pos Bandar Seri Begawan.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jumaat - Penggemar dan pengumpul setem dan sampul surat hari pertama tidak melepaskan peluang bagi mendapatkan setem dan sampul surat hari pertama keluaran khas sempena sambutan Jubli Emas Masjid Omar 'Ali Saifuddien hari ini.

Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pos membuka 13 cawangan pejabat pos mereka khas bagi penjualan kedua-dua cenderamata itu iaitu tujuh cawangan di daerah Brunei dan Muara, empat cawangan di daerah Belait dan masing-masing sebuah di daerah Tutong dan Temburong yang beroperasi dari pukul 8.15 hingga 11 pagi.

Semua cawangan itu ialah Pejabat Pos Bandar Seri Begawan, Pusat Memproses Mel dan Bungkusan Berakas, Pejabat Pos Seri Kompleks, Pejabat Pos Muara, Pejabat Pos Sengkurong, Pejabat Pos Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa, Pejabat Pos Kiulap, Pejabat Pos Belait, Pejabat Pos Seria, Pejabat Pos BSP, Pejabat Pos Lumut, Pejabat Pos Tutong dan Pejabat Pos Bangar.

Sehubungan itu Media Permata sempat meninjau suasana di Pejabat Pos Bandar Seri Begawan yang mula dikunjungi penggemar setem dan sampul surat hari pertama.

Seorang penggemar yang ditemu bual adalah Pengiran Haji Muhammad Pengiran Haji Tengah, 62, yang menyatakan mula mengumpul setem dan sampul surat hari pertama sejak tahun 60-an lagi iaitu ketika masih di bangku sekolah.

Setem dan sampul surat hari pertama yang paling beliau minati ialah mengenai keberangkatan lawatan Queen Elizabeth II ke Brunei pada tahun 1972 iaitu ketika beliau menuntut di Sekolah Menengah Pertama.

Beliau menceritakan minatnya timbul setelah mendapat galakan daripada guru yang pada ketika itu gemar mengumpul setem dan sampul surat hari pertama dan nyatanya kegemaran berkenaan berbaloi kerana menurutnya melaluinya kita dapat mengetahui sejarah penting yang berlaku di negara ini.

Menyentuh mengenai perbezaan setem dulu dan sekarang, beliau lebih gemar kepada setem dulu kerana unik iaitu hasil lukisan seorang pelukis yang tidak ramai suatu ketika dulu berbanding sekarang yang boleh digubah dengan menggunakan komputer melalui gambar yang sedia ada, namun tetap menghormati idea pencipta setem dulu dan sekarang yang sangat kreatif.

"Jika dulu hanya pejabat pos di Bandar Seri Begawan yang menjadi tumpuan namun, alhamdulillah kini sudah banyak cawangan pejabat pos di negara ini yang lebih memudahkan pelanggan," katanya.

Beliau berharap lebih ramai anak muda terutama pelajar menceburi bidang pengumpulan setem dan sampul surat hari pertama sepertinya kerana kegemaran sedemikian bukan saja boleh membantu mereka mengingati sejarah penting negara ini malah nilainya pula semakin tinggi dari sehari ke sehari dan bukannya berkurangan.

Sebanyak empat reka bentuk setem berkaitan dengan Masjid Omar 'Ali Saifuddien dikeluarkan dengan harga 50 sen sekeping ataupun $2 bagi satu set yang mengandungi keempat-empat reka bentuk.

Sampul surat hari pertama pula berharga 45 sen sekeping, manakala yang bersetem keempat-empat reka bentuk dijual pada harga $2.65 satu set, lembaran mini pula berharga $2 sekeping dan lembaran mini khas dijual pada harga $50 satu set.

Selain itu mug kenangan yang mempamerkan tiga gambar berbeza turut dijual dengan harga $10 seunit dan juga pemegang kunci yang mempamerkan empat reka bentuk berbeza dijual pada harga $2 setiap satu.

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My personal collection of commemorative stamps in conjunction with the Golden jubilee celebration of Omar 'Ali Saifuddien mosque:

the First Day Cover

miniature sheet with the special display card

the Mosque in 1958 (scan from 1959 Brunei Annual Report)

the Mosque in Sept 2008

A stroll in the Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque

The weather yesterday was so perfect for outdoor shooting. So, I went to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque - the landmark of our beautiful country. The mosque is now in the final stages of touching up for the Golden Jubilee celebration this Friday, 26th Sept:

neon lights to lighten the lagoon

the glittery dome

the plaque commemorating the opening of the mosque 50 years ago

FDC New Mosque 1958

I wonder why the First day cover of Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque was released on 24th September on 1958, instead of 26th September, where the mosque was officially opened by Al-Marhum Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien,(28th Sultan of Brunei) on 26th September 1958.

And there are a number of different FDC envelopes for this issue. The first one states 26th Sept, the second and third ones are 24th Sept 1958.

Anyone of you know why is this so?

Special commemorative stamps

SNEAK PREVIEW:

The Postal Services Department is issuing a set of commemorative stamps in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque next Friday (26th Sept 08). (These pictures are taken from the poster itself, I apologise they look rather funny.)

The High Value Miniature sheet (as the name suggests, it is costly), selling for B$50.00

the first day cover, set of four 50c stamps (B$0.50 x 4 = B$2.00) plus the envelope (B$0.45??)

the Miniature sheet, B$2.00 (i personally think this is a good souvenir or gift for tourists)

So, wake up early next Friday and buy this rare commemorative issue. :-)

Hotline of Bandar Post Office: 2222191, 2222784

gearing up...

The magnificient Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque is gearing up for the Golden Jubilee celebration. It was officially opened by Almarhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien half a century ago, 13 Rabiulawal 1378 corresponding to 26 September 1958.

the construction of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque began in 4th February 1954
(image from Brunei Resources blog)

a replica of a 16th century royal barge or "Bahtera" is built in the middle of the lagoon

the minaret is 54 metres tall

renovation works started early this year

References
Brunei in brief, Information Department, 2007.

Brunei Resources blog (The Mosque in the Capital City, 17 June 2007)
http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2007/06/mosque-in-capital-city.html

Bendera Masjid

I passed by Masjid Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien yesterday afternoon and noticed the flags flying on the poles, and today I happened to see these flags again in the exhibition of Raja dan Zikir in Majlis Ilmu today.

(click on the image to enlarge)