86
The officials of the mosque are usually ignorant men, and whenever they can find others more devout and learned in the law they gladly make over their duties to them. Should such be wanting, the personelle of the mosque is often insufficient and it rests on chance from week to week whether the Friday service shall be held or replaced by an ordinary midday prayer. Sometimes again the congregation of 40 males falls short, and sometimes no one can be found who is able to read a sermon.
The Friday service.Complaints of ulamas and other pious persons as to the lack of interest in public worship are universal. Should a mosque fall into disrepair, the greatest difficulty is experienced in collecting the necessary funds and building materials for its restoration. The general co-operation for the re-building of the Meuseugit Raya or principal mosque of Acheh, which took place in the prime of Habib Abdurrahman's activity, is always quoted as an exception to the rule. Such an unusual personality, revered by many and dreaded by the rest, is required in order that even the most moderate demands of religion may be satisfied. The true Achehnese, if he does not entirely neglect the calls of his creed, takes part with more zeal in the religious or quasi-religious gatherings in the meunasah than in the assemblages at the mosque, where he feels himself but half at home.
Kanduris (religious feasts) he gives and attends with pleasure; at ratébs or recitations, whether real or only imitative like the ratéb sadati and pulèt, he can excite himself to the highest pitch; but the ritual prescribed by the law fails to rouse his enthusiasm.
It is not surprising then that an imeum who tries to assume the part of leubè or theologian is from his very rarity an almost ludicrous object in Acheh. The real imeum goes armed like the ulèëbalang, with an armed following. His position is at once to be gathered from his distinctive appellation which is teuku and not teungku, the latter being in Great Acheh the title of all who borrow their rank to some extent from religion. By his own dependents in his capacity of chief of the mukim, he is even exalted to the dignity of teuku ampōn when addressed directly.
This office also is generally hereditary[1], subject to the power of appointment and dismissal vested in the ulèëbalang.
- ↑ See p. 65 above.
