HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to attend the First Haflut Takharruj (convocation) of Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB) yesterday at the Banquet Hall, Prime Minister’s Office.

Accompanying His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah; His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik and other members of the royal family.

The first-ever convocation saw the presentation of ‘Aliyah Qira’at Syahadah Diploma Certificate to 12 graduates – 10 males and 2 females – who have completed the three-year ‘Aliyah Qira’at Diploma Programme at the institute, and also the Conferment of Hafaz Al-Quran Graduation Certificate to a total of 30 Huffaz, who have totally memorised the Holy Al-Quran by heart, for passing the Al-Quran Memorisation Tasmie’ Test for 30 Juzuks (30 Quranic Chapters) Category operated by the Al-Quran Memorisation Tasmie’ Board.

The convocation began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by the State Mufti, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned. Following that was the presentation of Hafazan Surah Al-Mulk and a welcoming remark by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman. Later His Majesty delivered a titah.

The State Mufti also gave a special lecture prior to the presentation ceremony of the ‘Aliyah Qira’at Syahadah Diploma, where nine graduates obtained Excellence (Mumtaz), two graduates obtained Very Good (Jaid Jiddan) and one graduate obtained Pass (Maqbul). This was followed by the presentation of Hafaz Al-Quran Graduation Certificate to the graduated Huffaz.

His Majesty later toured an exhibition entitled, ‘Two Decades in the Development and Achievement of Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’.

The establishment of the Tahfiz institute was under the consent of His Majesty in conjunction with his 46th birthday on July 15, 1992. On January 1, 1993, the institute was officially established with the first enrolment of 45 students.

The Tahfiz institute is a secondary school and diploma level of education institution that correlates Hafazan Al-Quran with knowledge on the Holy Al-Quran as the core module along with other school subjects.

The ‘Aliyah Qira’at Syahadah Diploma programme is a three-year National Diploma level programme to produce graduates that have deep understanding of the Holy Al-Quran and Qira’at besides Islamic studies subjects, Arabic language and others.

With this, the institution becomes the only Holy Al-Quran study institution in the country offering secondary school and diploma level education.

The ceremony was also attended by state dignitaries, Cabinet Ministers, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries, ambassadors and diplomatic corps, as well as senior government officers, parents and graduates. - Borneo Bulletin (6 December 2013)