Lyna Mohamad
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday attended the Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony, marking the start of the royal wedding celebrations between Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah and Yang Mulia Awang Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi.
Accompanying His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.
The Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony, which refers to a marriage proposal or declaration of acceptance, began with Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof informing Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar that the ceremony was set to begin.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz in response, instructed Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan to seek an audience with the monarch to announce the ceremony was ready to begin.
His Majesty and members of the royal family entered the Banquet Hall at Istana Nurul Iman, where they were greeted by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar.
Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan then informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris that the Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony was ready to begin.
Upon His Majesty’s approval for the ceremony to commence, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Basit bin Pengiran Datu Penghulu Pengiran Haji Apong, who led the groom side, sought an audience with the monarch.
Following this, the father of the groom, Nabil Mahmoud Abdulkadir Al-Hashimi, also sought an audience with His Majesty to hand over his son and convey his intention.
His Majesty welcomed the attendance of the groom’s father in conveying the intention. The monarch, along with members of the royal family, accepted the proposal with good reasons while seeking blessings from Allah the Almighty.
His Majesty noted the Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony marked the start of planning for the royal wedding, and granted the Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga ceremony, which will be assumed by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned read a Doa.
The ceremony saw the attendance of Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran-Pengiran Cheteria, state dignitaries, Cabinet Ministers, senior government officers, diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests.
Earlier, at the groom’s Darussidiq, Jerudong residence, Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Pahlawan Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Haji Abdul Aziz informed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim bin Pengiran Indera Mahkota Pengiran Anak (Dr) Kemaludin A-Haj that the ceremony was ready.
It proceeded with a Doa read by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar.
During the ceremony, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Maharaja Setia Laila Diraja Sahibul Irshad Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Rahim appointed Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sanggamara Diraja Major General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Ibnu Basit to be the head of the groom’s Bersuruh entourage, before heading to Istana Nurul Iman for the Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony.
Also accompanying the entourage were Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin and Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Ratna Wijaya Brigadier General (Rtd) Pengiran Haji Hasnan bin Pengiran Ahmad.
The royal wedding ceremony continues with the Istiadat Membuka Gendang Jaga-Jaga ceremony at Lapau today.
