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greatest pillar of all, since hundreds who never perform a single seumayang (a duty just as obligatory as the other) are faithful observers of the fast. It is as though this one month of abstinence were to excuse all the neglect and transgressions of the past eleven. Thus every observance that specially appertains to this month of expiation, whether it be obligatory or merely meritorious, is eagerly carried out in the fullest possible manner.
In Java also, people partake in the trawèh who never think of attending a Friday service, to say nothing of performing the daily seumayangs in mosque or langgar (chapel).
In Acheh, however, the trawèh service as celebrated in the meunasah savours much of a caricature. Of all the assembled company one or two at most, generally not even one takes an active part in the prayers; they allow them to be performed by the teungku alone, who properly speaking. should only act as leader. Without the slightest token of respect, all the others sit smoking or chewing sirih. At the Amin with which the teungku closes the recitation of the Qurān appertaining to each subdivision (rakʿah) of the seumayang, all those present join in with a yell. In like manner they take part with loud vociferation in the invocation of blessing on the Prophet which as an interlude separates the ten pairs of rakʿahs of the trawèh from one another. They do not properly repeat the formulas whereby such invocations of blessing should be confirmed, but corrupt them by absurd imitations[1].
Ulamas and other devout persons take no share in these follies and forbid their sons taking part in them. Indeed many of the teungkus find the excessive noise unendurable, and it has happened that one of their number threatened to cease his ministrations on account of it. So far from regarding his admonition the boldest of the young house-holders present replied that if he did so he would receive no pitrah from them on the feast-day at the end of the fasting month.
Thus we see how in Acheh some Mohammedan institutions have degenerated into unrecognizable forms.
Popular interpretation of the pitrah.The pitrah is a tax payable at the end of the fasting month by all whose means allow of it, on behalf of themselves and all who are dependent on them for support. The payment is made in kind, that
- ↑ For instance the teungku says: Allāhumma ṣalli ʿala sayyidinā Muḥammad ("O God, bless our lord Mohammed") to which they scream the response salala além waʾalòyhém, instead of ṣālla ʾllāhu ʿalaihi wasallam.
