97
his kali was in like manner the chief kali of the sagi. We may perhaps ascribe to the centralizing efforts of certain of the port-kings an attempt which was made to reduce all the other kalis to the position of mere deputies of the chief kali, nominated by him or at least with his concurrence, whilst the chief kali of each sagi received his appointment direct from the hands of the sultan. The bombastic title of these kalis of the sagis, Kali Rabōn Jalé (from the Arab. Qādhi Rabbul Jalīl) = "Judge of the Almighty Lord"[1], undoubtedly dates from the times of active organization in the capital.
Writers on Acheh have accustomed us to the idea that above the kalis of the ulèëbalangs and of the panglima sagi there was enthroned in the capital a supreme hereditary judge who bore the title of Kali Malikōn Adé (Qādhi Malikul Adil) i.e. "Judge of the righteous King". For this notion it appears that we have again to thank Mr. Der Kinderen, whose chief guide in forming this conclusion was the bearer of the title himself. The latter appears (for reasons not difficult to surmise) to have told Mr. Der Kinderen tales regarding his exalted position in flagrant conflict with the truth. He painted an idealized picture of the importance of that position as it was at the time of its first establishment, some two and a half centuries ago, and furbished this up as representing the actual state of things at the present day[2].
The original intention of the powerful port-king (whether Meukuta Alam or an earlier sovereign) who instituted the title of Kali Malikōn Adé, was undoubtedly to have a president of the royal court of justice possessed of an adequate knowledge of the religious law. In making this appointment it was of course never intended to apply this law in its full extent. Such a scheme could have been realized in no Mohammedan country in the world within the last twelve centuries. The whole political system of the port-town even at the zenith of its prosperity was in conflict with the law of Islam.
Perhaps those Achehnese chiefs are not entirely wrong who assert that the wish of the prince who created the office was that his kali
- ↑ This expression is also to be found in Malay works in the sense of "The Judge, the Almighty Lord" = God, e. g. in Ganjamara, Singapore Edition p. 159 (
Arabic characters)
- ↑ Ordonnantie van 14 Maart 1881 betrekkelijk de rechtspleging onder de inheemsche bevolking van Groot-Atjeh, met een memorie van toelichting van Mr. T. H. Der Kinderen, Batavia 1881, pp. 18, 22 seqq.
