It was interesting to hear the old history of Bumi Bertuah being reminded again around a coffee table on a Friday afternoon after what has been a long and busy week in the office. That Sultan Sharif Ali, the third Sultan was a descendant from our Prophet through his grandsons Sayydinia Hassan or Sayydinia Hussin. Not long after he arrived in Brunei from Taif in the Arabian Peninsular, he was married to a daughter of the second Sultan, Sultan Ahmad. He became the third sultan on the death of Sultan Ahmad in 1425.The 15th century was a period of contrast between the seat of Islamic civilisation i.e. the Middle East and South East Asia. Middle East was in upheaval with competing dynasties such the Ottoman and the Mamluk. South East Asia however saw a rapid propagation of Islam and kingdoms after another became Islamic sultanates. With the arrival of Sharif Ali, Bumi Bertuah also became officially an Islamic sultanate. Sharif Ali was famous for inheriting Pedang si-Bongkok, believe to indicate that he was formerly an Emir of Mecca. Because of his piousness, he was known as Sultan Berkat (meaning 'blessed'). He was the first to call Brunei as Darussalam. He constructed the first mosque. May the Berkat last forever to make this Bumi Bertuah as Bumi Berkat.
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