Malay Magic: Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay PeninsulaSkeat, Walter William
Religion
Malay Magic: Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay Peninsula
Skeat, Walter William
Magic -- Malay Peninsula; Malays (Asian people) -- Folklore; Malays (Asian people) -- Social life and customs
Besides these subdivisions, certain Genii are sometimes specifically
connected with special objects or ideas. Thus there are the Genii
of the royal musical instruments (Jin Nemfiri, or Lempiri, Gendang,
and Naubat), who are sometimes identified with the Genii of the State
(Jin Karaja'an), and the Genii of the Royal Weapons (Jin Sembuana),
both of which classes of Genii are held able to strike men dead. The
only other Genie that I would here specially mention is the Jin
`Afrit (sometimes called Jin Rafrit), from whom the "White Man" (a
designation which is often specially used in the Peninsula as a synonym
for Englishman) is sometimes said to have sprung, but who belongs in
Arabian mythology to a higher class than the mere Genii. Before leaving
the subject of Genii, I must, however, point out the extremely common
juxtaposition of the Arabic word "Jin" and the Malay "Jembalang." From
the frequency with which this juxtaposition occurs, and from the
fact that the two appear to be used largely as convertible terms,
we might expect to find that Jin and Jembalang were mere synonyms,
both applicable to similar classes of spirits. The process is not
quite complete, however, as although the expression Jembalang Tunggal
(the only Jembalang), is found as well as Jin Tunggal, the higher
honorific Sang Raja or Sa-Raja is never, so far as I am aware,
prefixed to the word "Jembalang," though it is frequently prefixed
to "Jin." Of the other members of the Malay hierarchy who owe their
introduction to Muhammadan influences, the only ones of importance
are angels (Mala'ikat), prophets (Nabi), and headmen (Sheikh).
I will take them in this order.
Of the angels, unquestionably the most important are Azrael (`Azra'il
or `Ijrail), Michael (Mika'il), Israfel (Israfil, Ijrafil, or
Serafil), and Gabriel (Jibra'il or 'Jabra'il, often corrupted into
Raja Brahil). There can be no doubt that the foregoing are meant
for the names of a group of four archangels, the name of Israfel
corresponding to Abdiel, who generally occupies the fourth place in
our own angelic hierarchy.
Their customary duties are apportioned among the four great angels
as follows:--
Azrael is, as with us, the angel of death, who "carries off the
lives of all creatures"; Israfel is "lord of all the different airs"
in our body; Michael is the "giver of daily bread"; and Gabriel is
a messenger or "bringer of news."
Sometimes, again, a White Angel (Mala'ikat Puteh) is mentioned,
e.g. as being in "charge of all things in the jungle," but what his
specific duties are in this connection does not transpire.
In an invocation addressed to the Sea-spirit, however, we find four
more such angels mentioned, all of whom hold similar charges:--
Chitar Ali is the angel's name, who is lord of the whirlpool;
Sabur Ali is the angel's name, who is lord of the winds;
Sir Ali is the angel's name, who is lord of the waters of the sea;
Putar Ali is the angel's name, who is lord of the rainbow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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