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you are not worthy opponents). Ask them (the rival party; here the speaker appears to address the audience) whether they indeed dare to do battle with us; if so let them get ready their weapons and put their fortifications in a state of defence. Their fort must be strong, and their guns must carry far, for here with us we have bombs of the Tuan beusa[1].
Nasib in the form of a doctrinal question.Nasib of the party A in the form of a question. There was once a man who slept and dreamed that he had committed adultery; afterwards he went down from his house and went to the well but found no bucket there. Thence he went to the mosque (to fetch a bucket); how then did he express the niët (= "intention", the Arab. niyyat, which every Mohammedan has to formulate as the introduction to a ritual act, and so as in the present case to the taking of a bath of purification)? How many be the conditions, oh teungkus of such a ritual ablution? In this jar are all kinds of water[2]. Let not the jar be broken, let not its covering (say of leaves or cotton) be open; what, oh teungkus are the conditions of a valid ritual ablution?
The same party A now follows with a short story, a kisah ujōng nasib; for brevity's sake we shall pass this over and go on to the answer of the opposite party.
Nasib in reply to the question.Nasib of the party B in the form of an answer. If Allah so will[3], I shall now answer your question. Set me no learned questions; I cannot solve them, I am no doctor of the law[4]. Answer me first, oh teungku, and answer me correctly, how many conditions there be to the setting of a question. Without conditions and all that depends on these conditions, your questioning is in vain. Not till the conditions and that which depends on them is known, has the asking of questions any meaning. Grammar (is taught) at Lam Nyòng, the learning of the law
- ↑ As to the impression produced in Acheh by this Malay name for the Governor of that country, see Vol. I, p. 171.
- ↑ After first putting a question as to the forms prescribed by the law for ritual ablutions, the speaker now compares his mind to a water-jar, in which is to be found all manner of water (i. e. knowledge).
- ↑ As to the common use and misuse of this formula by the Achehnese, see Vol. I, p. 311, footnote.
- ↑ This is of course meant ironically, for directly afterwards the opposite party is represented as unfitted even to propound questions.
