Syed Ali Mujtaba

New Delhi— After inaugurating the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and another one in Dubai, UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his religious purification drive, visited the iconic Masjid in Brunei on a two-day visit to the Islamic Sultanate on September 3-4, 2004.

Brunei is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia close to Malaysia. The current head of the state is Sultan Hassan-al-Bolkiah.

PM Modi, who is on a two-nation trip to Brunei and Singapore, stopped at Brunei on the first leg of his tour. He met the reigning Sultan, Hassan-al-Bolkiah on September 3.  

As part of his itinerary, PM Modi visited the iconic  ‘Omar Ali Saifuddien’ Masjid, that is built by the current Sultan in the name of his father. 

The Indian Prime Minister was warmly received at the mosque by Brunei’s Religious Affairs Minister, Pehin Dato Ustaz Awang Badaruddin, and Minister of Health Mohammad Isham. He made a physical tour of the masjid watching its architectural marvel and saw a video detailing its history.    

Modi was candid about his mosque visit, as he posted on his X account; “Went to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Brunei.”  

The Indian Prime Minister also met some Indian Muslim families inside the mosque those residing in Brunei.

The “Omar Ali Saifuddien” Mosque stands as a symbol of Brunei’s rich cultural heritage. The grand mosque was completed in 1958 and named after, Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei.

Before his departure to the Islamic country, Modi said, “As we celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties, I am eager to advance our historical relationship with Brunei to new heights.”

In his ten years of rule, Minister Modi for the first time visited Brunei. Previously, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Brunei for the 11th ASEAN-India Summit in October 2013.

PM Modi’s visit to ‘Omar Ali Saifuddien’ mosque marks a significant moment in his Islamic journey and may moderate his views against Islam and Muslims, on whose edifice he has been mandated to govern India for the third consecutive term.