Page 225 - Malay sketches
P. 225

MALAY SUPERSTITIONS

        "The whole earth   is in the hand of the most
      High God,  and He  gives  it as an inheritance to
      whom He will of His            The true
                           subjects.         religion
      is also of  God, and Heaven  is the reward of those
      who fear the Most High.  Salvation and  peace  are
      for those who follow the  straight path,  and  only
      they  will in the end arrive at real  greatness.  No
           can do     and none can be
      Raja       good,                powerful except
      by  the  help  of God the Most  High, who  is also
      Most  Mighty.
        "
          I make ten thousand salutations.  I wish to
             about  the         of
      inquire           practice    ber-hantu,  driving
      oneself mad and  losing  one's  reason,  as has been
      the custom of  Rajas  and Chiefs  in  this State of
      Perak  is  it              to
           ;      right according   your religion, Mr.
      Resident, or  is  it not ?  For  that  practice  is a
      deadly  sin  to  the Muhammadan  Faith,  because
      those who       in it lose  their reason and waste
               engage
      their substance for        some of them cast it
                        nothing ;
      into the water,  while others  scatter  it broadcast
      through  the  jungle.  How  is such conduct treated
                     Mr.                   or      ?
      by your religion,  Resident,  is it  right  wrong
      I want you  in  your indulgence  to  give  me an  answer,
      for this  practice  is  very  hard on the  poor.  The
      Headmen   collect from the  rayats,  and then  they
      make elaborate  preparations  of  food, killing  a buffalo
                            209               o
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