Ch 12–2: How The Pasai Philosopher Answers (or Not) a Riddle from Melaka

The chapter continues with the arrival of a certain Maulana Abu Bakar, who brings with him the book Durr Manzum. (This is apparently a tome about Islamic mysticism. I can’t find much info on this online so maybe there is an alternate spelling?) He disembarks and goes to the court of Melaka, where he is greeted with great ceremony by Sultan Mansur Syah, who orders that Durr Manzum be paraded into the hall of audience. Sultan Mansur Syah proceeds to study under Maulana Abu Bakar, who praises his royal student’s good heart and aptitude for learning. Sultan Mansur Syah then orders Durr Manzum to be sent to Pasai for its contents to be explicated (“ertikan”) by (a holy scholar) Tuan Pematakan there. Tuan Pematakan writes the explication and then sends it back to Melaka. Sultan Mansur Syah is mighty pleased with it and shows it to Maulana Abu Bakar, who is also happy with the content and praises Tuan Pematakan.

Sultan Mansur Syah appoints Tun Bija Wangsa to travel to Pasai to pose the following question: “Will those in Heaven stay in Heaven forever? And will those in Hell stay in Hell forever?” Tun Bija Wangsa is entrusted with seven tahil of gold dust (“emas urai”) and two women, one named Dang Bunga from Mengkasar and the other named Dang Diba, daughter of a Muar yeoman. Sultan Mansur Syah also gives presents of fine floral cloth (“kimka”) of yellow and purple to the Raja of Pasai. Sultan Mansur Syah reminds Tun Bija Wangsa of the question he needs to ask to the philo­sophers (“pendita”) of Pasai: “Will those in Heaven stay in Heaven forever? And will those in Hell stay in Hell forever?” Whoever can answer the question will receive the seven tahil of gold dust as well as the two (presumably slave) women. (Who says thinkers don’t appreciate luxury and sex?) If there is a correct answer, that answer should also be brought back to the beat of ceremonial drums (“ditabalkan”) to Melaka. Orders are then given for the letter to Pasai to be escorted with great pomp to the port, and Tun Bija Wangsa sails to Pasai. I wonder if he is like the less malevolent 15th century version of:

The letter is received by the Raja of Pasai with proper ceremony. It is read out to him and he is jolly chuffed with its contents. Tun Bija Wangsa pays homage to the Raja of Pasai, who asks, “You are here on a mission, Tun Bija Wangsa?” And Tun Bija Wangsa answers, “Your Majesty’s elder brother (‘paduka kekanda’) says that anyone who can answer the riddle posed in this letter will receive seven tahil of gold dust and two women, and the answer will be brought back to the beat of drums to Melaka.” The Raja of Pasai then calls Tuan Makhdum Mua to sit with him. The Raja of Pasai spells out the question in the letter: “Will those in Heaven stay in Heaven forever? And will those in Hell stay in Hell forever?” He continues, “You have to give the answer so that we are not shamed.” (The phrase used is ‘supaya kita tidak kemaluan’; yes, go and snigger.)

Tuan Makhdum Mua replies, “Those in Heaven will stay in Heaven forever. And those in Hell will stay in Hell forever.” And Tun Bija Wangsa asks, “Is there no other way of seeing it?” And Makhdum Mua replies, “That is my final answer, because it tallies with the Quranic phrase khalidina fiha abada (They will dwell therein forever).” At this moment, Makhdum Mua’s student Tun Hassan, who is also sitting with them, turns his head away, because he does not like Makhdum Mua’s reply. The Raja of Pasai then leaves the audience-​hall and everyone else goes back.

When Makhdum Mua reaches his house, Tun Hassan comes to visit him and says, “Why, sir, did you answer the envoy the way you did? If that is the answer, the people of Melaka must already surely know it. I feel that they are looking for another answer.” Makhdum Mua asks, “What do you think the right answer is?” And Tun Hassan replies, “I feel it should be …” When he hears the full reply, Makhdum Mua says, “Doh! You’re right. I was in error (‘khilaf’) but what can we do now? What’s said has already been said!” Tun Hassan says, “That’s quite easy. Call the envoy to meet you, and then say, ‘Because you asked that question in a hall full of people, I gave you that answer. But now that I can meet you in private, I will give you the REAL answer. And it is …” Makhdum Mua agrees.

Makhdum Mua then calls Tun Bija Wangsa. He serves the envoy dinner, and then takes him to a secluded place outside, and says exactly what his student had suggested. When he hears the REAL answer, Tun Bija Wangsa is thrilled to bits. (The manuscript, being a tease, never tells us what this real answer is!) So he gives the seven tahil of gold dust and the two women to Makhdum Mua.

Tun Bija Wangsa brings the answer, to the beat of drums, to his ship. And the Raja of Pasai asks, “What is Tun Bija Wangsa carrying to the beat of those drums?” And says a chief with the title of Penghulu Bujang Karikelar, whose name is Tun Jana Makhluk Biri-​Biri (Yes, Tun Jana the Sheep Creature. Go on and LOL) … anyway, where were we? Oh yes, this chief says , “Your Majesty, the riddle he asked has been answered well; it was done by Makhdum Mua after being prompted by Tun Hassan.” The king is very glad to hear this and praises Tun Hassan.

Tun Bija Wangsa takes his leave from the Raja of Pasai. The king sends a letter for him to take to Melaka, which is paraded with due ceremony. Tun Bija Wangsa is also given robes of honour, and he sails back to Melaka, with the drums still beating to celebrate the correct answer to the riddle. When they arrive in Melaka, this answer is paraded ahead of the letter from the Raja of Pasai. And Sultan Mansur Syah is pleased to hear the answer to the riddle, and so is Maulana Abu Bakar. The king highly commends Makhdum Mua.

At this time, the kadi of Melaka is named Kadi Yusof, the great-​grandson of Makhdum Sayyid Abdul Aziz, who had converted everyone in Melaka to Islam. This judge doesn’t take lessons from Maulana Abu Bakar because he’s already so learned. There comes a time when Kadi Yusof is walking to the mosque for Friday prayer, and he passes by Maulana Abu Bakar’s house. Maulana Abu Bakar is standing in the doorway, and Kadi Yusof sees the Maulana surrounded by light, as if he were a burning wick. Kadi Yusof’s reaction isn’t to look for a fire extin­guisher but to run to Maulana Abu Bakar and pay obeisance to him. Maulana Abu Bakar accepts him with a smile. And so Kadi Yusof starts learning from Maulana Abu Bakar. Soon, Kadi Yusof becomes junun (this word actually means ‘to go mad’ or even ‘be possessed by the devil’ but the people who have worked with the manuscript insist it’s to be taken to mean he becomes a meditating recluse), and so his son, Kadi Munawar or Kadi Menua or even Kadi Menu (the original Jawi text says منو so can be any of them) stays in Melaka and becomes the new kadi.

Sep 8, 2010 – 4:03 PM | By Amir Muhammad | Posted in Blog Post | Comments (930)

Previous Chapters

  • CH 15–2: How Kampar Got Steamrolled by Melaka
  • CH. 15–1: How a Melakan Warrior Had to Wait Before Kicking Haru Asses
  • Ch. 14–5: Why the Bendahara Mentions Royal Horniness on His Deathbed
  • Ch. 14–4: How Melaka Delivered a Smackdown to Pahang
  • Ch. 14–3: How the Sultan of Melaka Turned into a Kick-​ass Vigilante
  • Ch. 14–2: How a Grandmother From Hell is Stopped from Committing Regicide
  • Ch 14–1: How the People of Campa Ended Up in Melaka
  • Ch. 13: How the Pasai King’s Uppity Words Lost Him a Valuable Ally
  • Ch. 12–3: How the Sultan of Melaka Got Cock-​Blocked
  • Ch 12–2: How The Pasai Philosopher Answers (or Not) a Riddle from Melaka
  • Ch. 12–1: Why the Horny Prince of Mengkasar Goes on a Destructive Spree
  • Ch. 11: How a Game of Sepak Raga Turned Deadly
  • Ch. 10: How the Raja of China Cured His Skin Problem
  • Ch. 9–5: How the Sultan of Melaka Got His Elephant Back
  • Ch. 9–4: How the Raja of China’s Daughter Came to Melaka
  • Ch. 9–3: How Hang Tuah Killed Hang Kasturi
  • Ch. 9–2: How the Melakans Responded to the King of Majapahit’s Practical Jokes
  • Ch. 9–1: How the Queen of Majapahit Chose Her Husband
  • Ch. 8–2: How Melaka Became Siam’s BFF
  • Ch. 8–1: How the Siamese Were Fooled
  • Ch. 7: Why The Bendahara of Melaka Committed Suicide
  • Ch. 6–3: How Melaka was Founded, and Then Became Muslim
  • Ch. 6–2: How a King’s Horniness Got Him into Trouble with His Brother
  • Ch. 6–1: How Islam Came to the Malay World
  • Ch. 5: How Eating Vomit Can Make You A Superman
  • Ch. 4: How Singapura Repaid Majapahit’s Insult
  • Ch. 3: How Singapore Got Its Name
  • Ch. 2: How China Saved Itself
  • Ch. 1: Alexander?

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