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money payment in the following manner. The teungku sells his own rice to his debtor, who then hands back the quantity due as pitrah, thus paying the tax according to law "in the staple grain of the country".
2°. The jakeuët (zakāt). This is not so regularly paid as the pitrah, many contributing a portion only and some none at all. We speak only of the rice-zakāt (jakeuët padé), which consists of one-tenth of the harvest. Jakeuët of cattle is seldom or never contributed, and those who pay it on gold, silver or merchandise do so entirely of their own accord and are equally free in the manner of its distribution. In many districts the teungku himself goes to the fields where the crop is standing to remind the owners of their obligations. The latter then set apart the smallest sheaves and give a portion of these to the teungku, keeping the rest for the wandering poor strangers, hajis and converts (muʾalah) who are wont to come and beg for this dole. We shall again allude to this custom in dealing with the subject of agriculture. In some provinces a considerable portion of the jakeuët and pitrah falls into the hands of the ulèëbalang while the teungku only gets the share elsewhere allotted to the "poor and necessitous" (paki and meuseukin).
3°. Money presents for the arrangement of marriages. The fee fixed for this purpose by the theoretical adat is merely the haʾ katib or chupéng of ¼ of a dollar for the keuchiʾ; but as a matter of fact the keuchiʾ gets more and the teungku hardly ever less than a dollar. Further mention of this will be found under the heading of marriage.
4°. The haʾ teuleukin or burial fee. According to the theoretical adat this amounts to ¼ of a dollar for each interment but in practice it is generally a dollar or more. The teungku is also presented with the ija peukréng or cloth wherewith the body is dried after the ablution, and a certain sum for tahils[1]. His help is also required for the ceremonies which take place during the first 40 days after the death, and for this he receives a further remuneration. All this will be described in greater detail when we come to treat of funeral ceremonies.
5°. Various gleanings from the fees of the keuchiʾ when the teungku accompanies the latter on his visits to the ulèëbalang for the settlement of profitable suits.
- ↑ Continuous repetitions of the Mohammedan confession of faith "lā ilāha illaʾllāh" = there is no God but God." The merit of this act of piety is supposed to be communicated to the deceased.
