HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to present Doctoral, Masters, and Bachelor’s Degrees and Diplomas to 115 graduates of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) at the university’s fourth ‘Hafl Al-Takharruj’ (convocation) ceremony held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas.

His Majesty who is also UNISSA’s Chancellor was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Pro-Chancellor of UNISSA.

During yesterday’s ceremony, His Majesty consented to present five individuals with their Doctoral Degrees (PhD), 24 with Masters Degrees, 18 with Diplomas in Syariah Legal Law, four with Post-graduate Diplomas, 58 with Bachelor’s Degrees and six with their Diplomas.

UNISSA Rector Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal in his welcoming remarks said this year marked another milestone for the university as two out of five of its PhD graduates, taking the Syariah and Arabic Language programmes respectively, are locals.

He also shared that three Bachelor’s Degree graduates this year are pioneering students of its Business and Management Sciences Faculty.

Dr Haji Norarfan added that UNISSA will continuously uphold its role and responsibility as an Islamic education institution in educating and training not only its students, but also the community at large through planned academic and non-academic programmes.

Earlier during the ceremony, His Majesty’s arrival and procession towards the Plenary Hall of the ICC was harmonised by the recitation of the ‘Selawat’ and ‘Qasidah Ahlan Bikum Sultanana’, followed by the singing of the national anthem.

The ceremony also saw the recitation of verses from the Holy Al-Quran, read by Bachelor of Science in Islamic Finance graduate, Awang Mohammad Khairul Nazri bin Begawan Mudim Haji Sapar.

This was followed by the reading of the Hadith by Bachelor of Syariah (Fiqh and Judiciary) graduate Awang Zulhilmi bin Rosman and reading of the essence of the Holy Al-Quran as well the hadith by Awang Abdul Malek bin Haji Sawal, also a Bachelor of Syariah (Fiqh and Judiciary) graduate.

Concluding the ceremony was a Doa Selamat read by the State Mufti, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

Prior to leaving the ceremony, His Majesty consented to a group photo with all 115 graduates and spent time to speak to some of the graduates. - Borneo Bulletin (2 November 2014)