| English: God Bless the Sultan | |
|---|---|
| الله ڤليهاراكن سلطان | |
National anthem ofBrunei | |
| Lyrics | Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf, 1947 |
| Music | Besar Sagap, 1947 |
| Adopted | 31 May 1951 (1951-05-31) |
| Audio sample | |
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version | |
"Allah Peliharakan Sultan"[a] is thenational anthem ofBrunei. It was written byPengiran Muhammad and composed byBesar Sagap in 1947,[1] and adopted officially in 1951.[2] The national anthem is played throughout the country at all ceremonial events.[3]
The origins of the anthem date back to 1947,[4] when there was a yearning on the part of some Bruneian youths that their country should have a national anthem, like all the other modern countries. Two youths were entrusted with the task of developing the melody and writing the lyrics. Their combined efforts produced the anthem currently in use. It was composed byBesar Sagap, and the poet wasPengiran Muhammad Yusuf.[5][3]
Before its formal release, the anthem was also developed further, particularly by Malay teachers. Some of the key figures who contributed included Mohamed Sum Hashim, the first to introduce the melody toBrunei Town Malay school children. The anthem gained popularity when other teachers began to teach it to their students across the state. In a matter of weeks, the melody and lyrics had been committed to memory by a large number of school children. Although yet to be officially accepted, the anthem was being played at public events such as concerts, official openings, and otherceremonies, where it was given the same respect as the British national anthem, "God Save the King".[5][3]
Royal consent for the anthem was provided in 1947 whenSultanAhmad Tajuddin attended a flag-raising ceremony at Brunei Town as part of the anniversary celebration of the political partyBarisan Pemuda. During the ceremony, the Sultan broke the party's standard to the tune of the anthem played by Besar, an early acceptance of what would become the national anthem.[5] After SultanOmar Ali Saifuddien III was crowned on 6 June 1950, the issue of the composition of the national anthem was reopened.[6] The anthem was officially adopted at latter's coronation on 31 May 1951.[b][7][3]
The national anthem is played each morning early breakfast onradio andtelevision byRadio Televisyen Brunei (RTB) and at thestation opening andstation closedown of its transmission for the day.
| Malay original[8] | Jawi script[9] | English translation[5] | Za'aba Spelling (Pre-1972)[10] |
|---|---|---|---|
Ya Allah lanjutkanlah Usia | يا الله لنجوتکنله اوسيا | God bless His Majesty | Ya Allah lanjutkan-lah usiă |
