510 Account of the Territory and Inhabitants [DkC. 



the head of the l£~*M Invamet, the ^sd^di^S^^ Mandi,n.ndKafan, 

 or washing and shrouding of the dead, the * jU-^SlJ^ Selat Jenazet, 

 or prayer pronounced over the corpse, previous to interment. The fee 

 of the Imam is commonly one " Suku," and the clothes of the deceased. 

 The Imams of Malacca do not perform the duties of washing and 

 shrouding the dead ; the office is there executed by the Bilal, and in 

 India by the Naib of the Kazi. 



The Khatib, as in India and Arabia, recites the AjJai. Khatbeh, an 

 oration or sermon, in praise of God, the prophet, and his vicegerents, 

 on Friday, in the mosque, from the three steps of the .x*.* Mimbar, 

 a species of rostrum ; and he performs the Nikah or marriage ceremony, 

 for which he receives three Peraks (nearly equivalent to six annas), 

 four cubits of white cloth, and a .<J Tikar, a sort of mat. 



The duties of the Bilal are sacrificial ; the calling to public prayer, 

 the reciting of the ^xoU Talkeen, the service for the dead, after the 

 corpse has been lowered into the grave. He receives as his fee for this 

 a Tikar and one Perak. When a goat or buffalo is sacrificed, he re- 

 ceives two fingers breadth of flesh from the victim's neck. 



The Panghulu Momkim or Mukim is an inferior servant of the mosque, 

 which it is his duty to keep clean, and in good order ; to remove 

 the bodies of the dead, to assist at burials, to go round the various Cam- 

 pongs and give notice of the performance of public prayer, and to re- 

 port absentees to the Imam. He beats the j^jU Taboh or great drum 

 of the mosque to assemble all devout Mussalmans to prayer. 



The Talkeen is sometimes read by this functionary. 



The Imam, Khatfbs, Bilals, and Panghulu Momkims are elected to 

 their several offices, after an examination into their fitness and capabi- 

 lities, by the Kazis and elders ; besides the fees already mentioned, they 

 each receive annually from every individual attending the mosque, a 

 present of one gantam of paddy. 



There are 16 mosques to the Momkims or Mukims (parishes) in 

 Naning, viz. those of Taboo, Bukit Tootoo*, Pago, Taboong Pulu, 

 Sonno, Brissoo, Sunjie, Seepoot Londoo, Ayer Parlas, Tanjong Reemo, 

 Padang, Sabang, Kamooning, Pillowe, Malacca Pinda, Battang Malac- 

 ca, and Malikie. 



Each of these mosques are under the immediate controul of an 

 Imam and a Khatib ; and under them Bilal, and Panghulu Mukim. 

 The whole of the establishments are superintended by the Kazis or 

 Kalis, of whom, as previously stated, there are two in Naning. 



The mosques are repaired at the public expence, and are generally 

 situated detached from any house or small insular knolls, in the midst 

 * This mosque has since beea removed to Kalama. . 



