How the Trengganu Stone was Found Recorded from ENGKU PENGIRAN ANUM, PALK., AJP.NI Kuala Trengganu. N the year 1902 A.D. (1320 A.H.) I went up the Trengganu river with Syed Hussin bin Ghulam Al-Bukhari, a Malay from Riau Lingga. Syed Hussin was interested in prospecting for tin or gold and T suppose he was in search of informa- tion about possible mining land. 1 was fifteen years old at the time. Our boat reached Kuala Berang, which was about 25 miles from Kuala Trengganu, at about half past one and we went ashore to say our midday prayer. The Mosque stood only sixty yards from The Trengganu Stone. Now in the National Museum Kuala Lumpur. ie bcipaee borates oe the river bank. When we reached the Mosque Syed Hussin noticed that the stone which lay at the entrance, on which men washed their feet before going up to pray, was inscribed with words in the Jawi script. He called me and I washed away some of the earth which had filled in the lettering and we read the name of our Prophet Muhammad. After we had said our prayers Syed Hussin asked the Peng- hulu (Penghulu Ali) and the Bilal to carry the stone to the river and place it in our boat, and they did so. I asked Penghulu Ali where the stone came from and he told me that it had been discovered about fifteen years earlier, projecting from the bank of the river, after a big flood had washed away part of the bank. He showed me the place where the stone was found, within view of the Mosque, about six feet below the normal sur- face of the river bank. When Syed Hussin had completed his business in Kuala Berang we set off down stream taking the inscribed stone with us. The Stone was presented to the late Sultan Zainal Abidin, who had_ it placed in the old Malay Fort on Bukit Puteri overlooking the mouth of the Trengganu river, but for a number of years the inscription could not be deciphered. In 1922 Mr. H. S. Paterson, M.CS., who was serving in Trengganu, had the inscription photographed and sent copies to the Raffles Museum in Singapore and to Dr. C. O. Blagden a Malay Scholar living in London.The Stone is inscribed on all four sides and it was found possible to transcribe the wording and to translate it into English, although there are a number of gaps. The Stone is 33 inches high, with a breadth of 21 inches at its widest point and weighs over 400 Ibs. The date of the inscription reads “in the month of Rajab in the year 702 A.H.” which corresponds to’ the month of February or March 1303 A.D. In Dr. Blagden’s opinion the date is more likely to be 1386 A.D. The Inscription begins with a pro- clamation ordering ‘Raja Mandulika’— rajas and chiefs—to expound and up- hold the Muslim faith. The remaining three faces of the Stone contain refer- ence to ten laws, the first three of which are missing because the top of the Stone had broken off before it was discovered. The remainder include punishment for offences of wantonness and false evidence and __ provides punishments in default of the payment of Fines. The Transcription of the Four sides and a translation are given below: — A. 1. Rasul Allah dengan yang orang .... (bagi) mereka... 2. ada pada Dewata Mulia Raya beri hamba menegohkan ugama Islam. 3. dengan benar bichara derma meraksa bagi sakalian hamba Dewata Mulia Raya. 4. di-benua-ku ini (penentu) ugama Rasul Allah sall’llahu “alaihi wa sallama Raja. 5. mandalika yang benar_bichara sa-belah Dewata Mulia Raya di- dalam. 6. behumi, Penentua itu fardzu pada sakalian Raja manda- 7. lika Islam menurut sa-titah De- wata Mulia Raya dengan benar. bichara berbajiki benua penentua itu maka titah Seri Paduka. Tuhan medudokkan tamra_ ini di-benua Trenganu adi-pertama ada. Juma’at di-bulan Rejab di-tahun sarathan di-sasanakala Baginda Rasul Allah telah Jalu tujoh ratus dua. B, keluarga di-benua jauh.... kan rn (datang) berikan. Keemp-(at der- ma barang) orang berpi-hutang jangan mengambil k.... (a)mbil hilangkan emas kelima derma barang orang... (mer) deka jangan mengambil (tugal buat) temas-nya jika ia ambil hilangkan emas. Ke- enam derma barang orang berbuat balachara laki laki perempuan sa-(titah) Dewata Mulia Raya jika merdeka bujan palu sa-ratus rautan. beristeri atawa perempuan bersuami di- tanam hinggan pinggang di-hembalang dengan batu matikan jika inkar ba(lachara) hembalang jika anak mandalika. c bujan danda-nya sa-puloh tengah (tiga) jika ia... menteri bujan danda-nya tujoh tabil sa-p(aha .... tengah tiga. Jika (tetua) bujan danda-nya lima ta(hil.... Jika _merdeka #132 tujoh tahil sa-paha masok ben- dara. Jika o(rang.... merdeka. Ketujoh derma barang perempuan hendak tida dapat bersuami jika ia ber- buat balachara .... D. ....tida benar danda-nya sa- tahil sa-paha. Kesembilan derma. .. Seri Paduka Tuhan la... . danda-nya .-Kesapuloh der)ma jika anak- ku atawa (pemain) (?) ku atawa chuchu-ku atawa keluarga-ku ata- wa anak. siapa ti = - tamra ini segala isi tamra ini barang siapa tida menurut tamra ini laanat Dewata Mulia Raya ...di-jadikan Dewata Mulia Raya bagi yang langgar achara tamra ini. Translation by DR. BLAGDEN A. .God’s Apostle, together with the ‘Blessed Rare (@ salutation to them) .. trust in the Great High Godhead, cause the servants to hold firmly to doctrines of Islam together with true regard for the laws, govern all the servants of the Great High Godhead in this land of mine. The ex- pounders on earth of the doc- trines of God’s Apostle (God bless him and give him peace! ) are the Raja Mandalikas who have true regard towards the Great High Godhead. Such exposition is incumbent upon all Muslim Raja Mandali- kas, following all the commands of the Great High Godhead together with true regard for the setting in order, for the country, of such exposi- tion; and when Seri Paduka Tuhan first ordered the setting up of this record in the country of Trengganu it was a Friday in the month of Rejab, in the year “Cancer,” in the reli- gious era of our Lord the Apostle of God, after the passing (in that era) of seven hundred and (?) years... B. . . telatives tries . who gave. creditor must not take...a (field ?), (else he) loses (his) money. Fifth Law: whatsoever person .. . a free person ?), must not take (the planting stick ? for making?) . .. . money, if he takes (them), (he) loses (his) money. Sixth law: whatsoever in distant coun- Fourth law....a person commits sexual wanton- ness (in disobedience of ?) the Great High Godhead, if (it be) an unmarried free (person) beat (him with) a hundred (blows of a) rattan. If Git be) a free (man) that has a wife or woman that has a husband, (such) are to be buried up to the waist (and pelted with stones (and) put to death. If (they deny it?).... pelted. If (it be) the unmarried child of a Mandalika.c the fine is ten and a half sagas. If it (be)... an unmarried Menteri, the fine is seven tahils and one paha.. .. half a saga. If (it be) an unmar- tied (elder ?), the fine is five tahils.... seven tahils and one paha, to go into the Treasury. If (a per- son ?).... a free person. Seventh law: what- soever woman (desires?) .. has not got a husband, if she commits (that ?) wantonness, (she incurs a fine ?) D. ++-mot true, the fine is one tahil and one paha, Ninth law: ...-Seri paduka Tuhan (orders that 2) whoever (cannot be made to pay ?) his fine, ....(Be it) my...., or my (playmate ?), or my grandchild, or my kinsman, or the child (of)..... ..+.this (record ?), all the con- tents of this (record ?), whoso- ever does not obey this record, (may) the curse of the Great High Godhead ...-(may).... be caused by the Great High Godhead to (any) who offend against the provisions of this record. 33