BENGKEL TRAVELLERS’ FIQH

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, WEDNESDAY, 08/09/2021 – For the first time, Brunei Religious Officers Student Association (BruROSA) hosted Bengkel Travellers’ Fiqh. Attending this event are invited mentors Ustaz Fahmi and Ustazah Dr Widad, the Brunei Students’ Unit (BSU) officers and students from the different UK societies, especially freshers who are flying off for the first time to the UK. This workshop was conducted online via Zoom due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei, on the 8th of September 2021 at 3.45 pm (Brunei time) / 8.45 am (UK time). 
 
The main objective of this workshop is to educate students on the hukum-hakam fiqh in Islam. The workshop includes tips on finding acceptable halal food and avoiding non-halal food, ways of determining prayer times and kiblat, and being attentive to socialisation between men and women in a non-muslim country. Not only that, but this workshop also aims to strengthen the bonds of friendship – old and new between the students and aiding them to understand that Islam is the way of life for a Muslim in every aspect of their daily life.
 
The event commenced with Surah Al-Fatihah’s recitation and the welcoming remarks delivered by the President of BruROSA, Fikri Ali. Followed by an ice-breaking session, students were allocated into breakout rooms in their groups led by their facilitators. Facilitators and students were challenged to introduce themselves in Malay, then played a few fun games such as guess the gibberish in Malay, virtual charades and lastly, two truths one lie to engage them before officially starting with the workshop. Through these activities, the students and facilitators had the opportunity to know one another better. After the ice-breaking session, the workshop officially began with the entrance of Ustaz Fahmi and Ustazah Dr Widad. They first started their fiqh theory along with a Q&A session. The initial topic discussed was halal and non-halal food. Ustaz and ustazah briefly explained how to find halal meat and restaurants in the UK, emphasising the students to always refer to halal logos plastered on the front of the entrance. They also stressed the importance of checking the ingredients before buying food, even if it’s labelled “suitable for vegetarians”. They then discussed matters concerning solat, how to solat on planes, tips on finding the kiblat, which is easy to decipher using Islamic apps such as MuslimPro, and issues on solat Juma’at due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, they highlighted the topic of socialisation between a man and a woman, where they advised us not to be alone together because syaitan is present as the third person and will provoke the heart. They did not forget to emphasise two crucial reminders: to take care of aurat and not forget to solat because Allah SWT is always watching. The event concluded with the closing remarks delivered by both Ustaz Fahmi and Ustazah Widad, some words of appreciation, and the recitation of Surah Al-Asr by Fikri Ali.
 
Alhamdulillah, the workshop was a great way to expand our knowledge on taking the right path to Allah SWT on our journey to pursue further education in the UK. We hope that it was insightful and beneficial for everyone who attended and hopes to see everyone in our future events!

​Group picture with BruROSA members, Ustaz Fahmi and Ustazah Dr. Widad, BSU officers and students studying in the UK

[Click photos for captions]