The History of Sulu. Najeeb M. Saleeby
time the religion of Mohammed had not come to Sulu.
Translation of page 4 of the original manuscript.—The first inhabitants of the Island of Sulu were the people of Maymbung.100 They were followed by the Tagimaha101 and the Baklaya.102 Later came the Bajaw (Samals) from Juhur. Some Bajaws were taken by the Sulus and were distributed among the three divisions of the island, while others drifted to Bruney and Magindanao. Some time after that there came Karimul103 Makdum.104 He sailed in a pot of iron and the ancients called him Sharif105 Awliya.106 The Sulus adopted the Mohammedan religion and brought Makdum to Bwansa.107 There the Tagimaha chiefs built a mosque. Ten years later there arrived Raja Baginda, who emigrated from Menangkabaw.108 Baginda came to Zamboanga first. From there he moved to Basilan and Sulu. The natives met him on the sea for the purpose of fighting him. He asked them, “Why do you wish to fight a Mohammedan who is coming to live with you?” He married there.
The commission of Khatib Abdur Razzak.
Translation of page 5 of the original manuscript.—Dated Wednesday, the tenth of Ramadan, in the year “D,” the first, which corresponds to the year 1251 of the Hegirah of the Prophet Mohammed, may the best of God’s mercy and blessing be his. This day his majesty our master, the Sultan Jamalul109 Kiram110 has granted Adak an official title by virtue of which he will be known as Khatib111 Abdur112 Razzak.113 This is done in conference and consultation and with the consent of all the people, without dissent.
By the will of God the most High.
(Signed) The Sultan Jamaul Kiram.
[The End.]
1 See below, p. 148.
2 The eleventh month of the Mohammedan year.
3 Sulu; the head, the chief.
4 Arabic; the slave of the Merciful.
5 Malay; sir or mister.
6 Arabic; leader, caliph, high priest.
7 A Sulu form of the Arabic “Caliph.”
8 Malay-Sanskrit; minister of state.
9 The central high region of Sumatra.
10 Malay; officer of state. It literally means “rich man.”
11 Sanskrit; king.
12 Malay-Sanskrit; emperor or caliph. It is here used as a proper noun.
13 A place in Lati, Sulu.
14 Sulu; chicken, fowl.
15 Sulu-Malay; slave.
16 Sanskrit; wise.
17 Arabic; understanding, mind.
18 Malay-Sanskrit; subordinate officer of state.
19 Arabic; lady, grandmother.
20 Arabic; safe and sound.
21 Malay; lady, woman.
22 Arabic; righteous.
23 A title of nobility.
24 Arabic, Fatimah; the name of the Prophet’s daughter.
25 Arabic; brilliant.
26 Arabic; wife or husband.
27 Arabic; beautiful.
28 Arabic; hoping.
29 Arabic; faithful.
30 Arabic; religion.
31 Arabic; trusted or trustworthy.
32 Arabic; guide, leader.
33 Sulu; fruit.
34 Arabic; intelligent.
35 Arabic; feminine of “salim” or safe and sound.