Sulu Codes

Sulu CodesThe Principal Sulu CodeThis code was prepared by Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam and was used without any modification by Sultan Harūn. The present sultan’s minister, Hajji Būtu Abdul-Bāqi, has made a new code which has just been proclaimed, but which has not yet met with general approval.This copy of the old Sulu Code is the original which was used by the Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam himself, and also by Sultan Harūn. It was written by Asmawil, the chief clerk and minister of Jamālu-l-A’lam. The manuscript was secured from Sheikh Mustafa, former minister to Sultan Harūn.This code differs considerably from the former one used by Sultan Pulalun, the father of Jamālu-l-A’lam, which was more in conformity with the letter of the Quran, much more severe in its sentences; hence the change was welcomed.IntroductionThis book is a guide for the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and rules of the country. It is concurred in by all, and is promulgated with the general consent of all the datus,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)The CodeArticleISection1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.ArticleIISection1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.(c) If the thief is a great or noted person or a governor, the fine shall be doubled.(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.ArticleIIISection1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.ArticleIVSection1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.ArticleVSection1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.ArticleVISection1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.ArticleVIISection1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.The New Sulu CodeThe new code is a rearrangement of the old code with some changes and modifications. Its author is Hajji Būtu Abdu-l-Bāqi, the present prime minister or adviser of the Sultan Jamālu-l-Kirām the Second. It was issued in the latter part of 1902, but there has been so much objection to it on the part of many datus and chiefs that its general adoption seems impossible.For a Sulu Hajji Būtu is a man of talent and understanding. He knows some Arabic and is probably the best Sulu scholar in the Archipelago.This code greatly increases the fines exacted from the people, creates a treasury under the control of Hajji Būtu, and entitles the sultan to a share of the fines collected by the various datus and chiefs. The chiefs and the people look upon it as another form of unjust taxation. The opposition to its adoption is so strong and so bitter that nothing except force of arms can enforce its use. This is beyond the power of the present sultan.IntroductionThis book is a guide to the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and the rules of the country. It is concurred in by all and is promulgated with the general consent of all datus, ministers,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.The CodeArticleISection1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.ArticleIISection1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.ArticleIIIIMMORAL CONDUCTSection1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(c) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave, he becomes the property of her master.(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.ArticleIVOPPROBRIUMSection1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.ArticleVTRADE AND EXCHANGESection1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.ArticleVIFALSE CLAIMSection1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.ArticleVIIUNLAWFUL EXACTIONSSection1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.ArticleVIIIDEBTSection1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.ArticleIXFINDSSection1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.ArticleXAll subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

The Principal Sulu CodeThis code was prepared by Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam and was used without any modification by Sultan Harūn. The present sultan’s minister, Hajji Būtu Abdul-Bāqi, has made a new code which has just been proclaimed, but which has not yet met with general approval.This copy of the old Sulu Code is the original which was used by the Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam himself, and also by Sultan Harūn. It was written by Asmawil, the chief clerk and minister of Jamālu-l-A’lam. The manuscript was secured from Sheikh Mustafa, former minister to Sultan Harūn.This code differs considerably from the former one used by Sultan Pulalun, the father of Jamālu-l-A’lam, which was more in conformity with the letter of the Quran, much more severe in its sentences; hence the change was welcomed.IntroductionThis book is a guide for the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and rules of the country. It is concurred in by all, and is promulgated with the general consent of all the datus,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)The CodeArticleISection1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.ArticleIISection1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.(c) If the thief is a great or noted person or a governor, the fine shall be doubled.(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.ArticleIIISection1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.ArticleIVSection1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.ArticleVSection1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.ArticleVISection1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.ArticleVIISection1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

The Principal Sulu Code

This code was prepared by Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam and was used without any modification by Sultan Harūn. The present sultan’s minister, Hajji Būtu Abdul-Bāqi, has made a new code which has just been proclaimed, but which has not yet met with general approval.This copy of the old Sulu Code is the original which was used by the Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam himself, and also by Sultan Harūn. It was written by Asmawil, the chief clerk and minister of Jamālu-l-A’lam. The manuscript was secured from Sheikh Mustafa, former minister to Sultan Harūn.This code differs considerably from the former one used by Sultan Pulalun, the father of Jamālu-l-A’lam, which was more in conformity with the letter of the Quran, much more severe in its sentences; hence the change was welcomed.IntroductionThis book is a guide for the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and rules of the country. It is concurred in by all, and is promulgated with the general consent of all the datus,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)The CodeArticleISection1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.ArticleIISection1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.(c) If the thief is a great or noted person or a governor, the fine shall be doubled.(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.ArticleIIISection1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.ArticleIVSection1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.ArticleVSection1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.ArticleVISection1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.ArticleVIISection1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

This copy of the old Sulu Code is the original which was used by the Sultan Jamālu-l-A’lam himself, and also by Sultan Harūn. It was written by Asmawil, the chief clerk and minister of Jamālu-l-A’lam. The manuscript was secured from Sheikh Mustafa, former minister to Sultan Harūn.

This code differs considerably from the former one used by Sultan Pulalun, the father of Jamālu-l-A’lam, which was more in conformity with the letter of the Quran, much more severe in its sentences; hence the change was welcomed.

IntroductionThis book is a guide for the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and rules of the country. It is concurred in by all, and is promulgated with the general consent of all the datus,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Introduction

This book is a guide for the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and rules of the country. It is concurred in by all, and is promulgated with the general consent of all the datus,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

This on Sunday, the fourth day of the monthRabi’ Akir, in the yearDal Akir, which corresponds to the year 1295 A. H.

May it enhance the good and the prosperity of our country; and may God give blessing and peace to its author.

First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFirst page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

First page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lam

Photo by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamSecond page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Second page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lam

Photo by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamThird page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Third page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lam

Photo by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamFourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lamPhoto by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

Fourth page of the Sulu Code made and used by Sultan Jamalu-l-A’lam

Photo by Martin. (slightly reduced.)

The CodeArticleISection1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.ArticleIISection1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.(c) If the thief is a great or noted person or a governor, the fine shall be doubled.(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.ArticleIIISection1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.ArticleIVSection1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.ArticleVSection1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.ArticleVISection1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.ArticleVIISection1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

The Code

ArticleISection1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.ArticleIISection1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.(c) If the thief is a great or noted person or a governor, the fine shall be doubled.(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.ArticleIIISection1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.ArticleIVSection1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.ArticleVSection1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.ArticleVISection1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.ArticleVIISection1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

ArticleI

Section1. Whoever shall abduct the child of a free man, and be found out, shall be fined twenty rolls or pieces (gajahilaw) of calico (siddip) or its value.5The abductor shall return the child. A bail also is required which shall be equal in character and value to the abducted child.

Sec.2. If the abductor of a free person is a slave, the master of the slave shall be examined to find out whether or not the abduction was committed with his knowledge and consent. In case he says that it was done without his knowledge and consent he must be sworn on the Quran. But, though he swears to that effect, he shall be held responsible for the return of the abducted person. Then if the actual abductor or abductors do not return the person or persons abducted, he or they shall be taken in payment thereof.

But if the master of the slave does not swear to that effect, he shall be held responsible personally for the abduction, and the case shall be treated as a case of abduction by a free man. The condition of the slave, whether privileged to live independently or not, does not affect this decision.

ArticleII

Section1. (a) If property of any kind of the sultan is stolen, the thief shall be fined fifty pieces (gajahilaw) of calico.

(b) If property of datus with official titles or that of Twan Sarip Usman is stolen, the thief shall be fined thirty-five pieces of calico.

(c) If datus without official title or descendants of a Sarip or of Panglima Adaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined thirty pieces of calico.

(d) If ministers of state or Panglima Pihaq are robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty-five pieces of calico.

(e) If subordinate officers below thepanglima6or inland countrypanditaor the agents of the sultan orpanglimaare robbed, the thief shall be fined twenty pieces of calico.

(f) If children of subordinate rulers or chiefs are robbed, the thief shall be fined ten pieces of calico.

Sec.2. (a) Theft of small articles (petit larceny) such as articles of diet, etc., of the value of one piece or half of akustaor sarong, shall not be punished by fines, but the articles themselves shall be restored to the proper owner or owners, twofold, and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes; if the theft is repeated on two or three occasions, the offense shall then be regarded as a case of great theft.

(b) Theft of property of the value of onekustaand over is great theft (grand larceny) and shall be punished by fine as provided in section one:Provided further, That the articles of property stolen shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof, and the thief shall suffer one hundred lashes.

The fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the governor (the chief usually acts as judge), in the following manner: When no trial shall have been held, the robbed party shall receive seven parts and the governor three parts; if a trial is held, the fine shall be divided equally between the governor and the party robbed, whether he be a person of rank or otherwise.

(d) The same penalty shall be applied to all persons convicted of theft, whether male or female.

(e) In all cases of theft the stolen property shall be restored to the owner or owners thereof.

(f) The buyer of stolen property shall be regarded as a thief unless he proves the truth of the sale in the presence of the governor. If he fails to have the seller examined and brought before the governor, he shall be regarded as a partner in the theft.

ArticleIII

Section1. A false claim to property or debt shall be regarded as theft and shall be adjudicated accordingly.

ArticleIV

Section1. Whoever exacts a claim by force without the permission or direction of the governor shall return whatever he exacts and forfeit his claim; and in case the claim is not substantiated he shall return the exacted object, and shall be fined two pieces of calico, to be equally divided between the governor and the person from whom he has exacted.

ArticleV

Section1. Complainants who disagree upon the authority before which they should appear shall come to apanglima. In case they do not agree upon apanglimathey must come to the sultan. But in case they agree, it is preferable that they should appear before the local governor or authority.

ArticleVI

Section1. Whoever attempts to kill and kills a freeman shall be fined fifty pieces of calico as blood money, also twentygajahilawto be paid to the governor.

Whoever attempts to kill, but fails to kill, a freeman shall be finedtwenty-five pieces of calico, to be paid to the attacked party, and tengajahilawto be paid to the governor.

Cases of unintentional and accidental killing and cases where the killing is done by an undetermined party shall be regarded alike. The blood money in each case shall be thirtygajahilaw.

Note.—In case a murder occurs in a neighborhood or village, and the actual murderer is unknown, the blood money is paid by the people of that neighborhood or village. They pay the full amount of blood money in case they do not swear to the effect that they did not commit the murder, but in case they swear to that effect they pay only half the fine.

ArticleVII

Section1. The fine for marriage by abduction7shall be six pieces of calico and the woman’s dower8shall be doubled. In case the dower is expressed in terms of slaves, the value of the slave shall be considered equal to four pieces orgajahilaw. The price of the bride, usually paid to the parents of the woman, in ounces of gold, called in Sulubasing, will be paid at the rate of onegajahilawfor abasing. The governor’s share of the fine shall be fourgajahilaw.

Sec.2. The fine for elopement is fourgajahilawand the dower shall not be doubled. The slave’s rate of exchange shall be fourgajahilawin case it is the custom of her family to receive actual slaves as a dower. Thebasing’srate of exchange is onegajahilaw.

In case the slave dower is nominal, the slave’s rate of exchange shall be threegajahilawof calico, and thebasingone piece ofkusta, of low grade.

Sec.3. In case of seduction admitted or disguised, marriage shall be concluded if the woman requests it. The man shall be fined twogajahilawand the woman shall be treated as if she eloped. In cases of actual slave dowers, the slave’s rate shall be fourgajahilawand thebasingonegajahilaw. In cases of nominal slave dower, the slave’s rate shall be threegajahilawand thebasing’sone piece ofkustaof the low grade.

Sec.4. Compulsory marriage is treated as marriage by abduction.

Sec.5. (a) If adultery is committed with apanglima’swife, the man shall be fined fiftygajahilaw, which can not be exchanged with anything except gold, silver, brass drums, orlantaka. If unable to pay, the man himself shall become the property of thepanglima.9

(b) If adultery is committed with the wife of amaharāja pahlawan,10the man shall be fined fortygajahilaw; which can not be exchanged except as in the previous case.

(c) If adultery is committed with the wife of a subordinate officer of state or a countrypandita, or an agent of a governor, the man shall pay a fine of thirtygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).

(d) If adultery is committed with the wife of apanditawho is in the council or in the capital of the sultan, the man shall pay fortygajahilaw.

(e) If adultery is committed with any married woman, the man shall pay a fine of twentygajahilaw, unexchangeable except as in section five (a).

(f) If a married woman commits adultery with her own consent, she becomes a slave to her husband; but if it is compulsory and without her consent, she will not be subjected to slavery; it is her duty then to tell her husband or his nearest relatives of the fact at the earliest opportunity—the next morning in case it occurs at night.

(g) If a male slave commits adultery with a free married woman, the slave becomes the property of the husband of that woman.

(h) If a free man commits adultery with a married female slave, the decision will be the same as if the crime had been committed with a free married woman.

(i) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave against her consent, the male slave becomes the property of the master of the married female slave; but if the crime is committed with her consent, she becomes the property of the master of her husband. Her master pays the fine due the governor.

(j) If a man commits adultery with the sister of his wife, his wife not being divorced, he will be judged as if he had committed adultery with the wife of another man.

All the subordinate officers11of state are hereby requested to exercise all care in administering justice to all who come to them for judgment and decision. They should all adhere to the seven articles of Mohammedan law and be deliberate in their just application.

In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision unless you inquire well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong do not be ready and quick to blame him and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union. In case you find his decision right, notwithstanding the appellant’s complaints, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimacan not render a solution, he should bring them to the sultan, together with the authority from whose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.

If the governor or the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire about the case from the governor from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.

Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male slave.

All governors and their subjects ought to abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

The New Sulu CodeThe new code is a rearrangement of the old code with some changes and modifications. Its author is Hajji Būtu Abdu-l-Bāqi, the present prime minister or adviser of the Sultan Jamālu-l-Kirām the Second. It was issued in the latter part of 1902, but there has been so much objection to it on the part of many datus and chiefs that its general adoption seems impossible.For a Sulu Hajji Būtu is a man of talent and understanding. He knows some Arabic and is probably the best Sulu scholar in the Archipelago.This code greatly increases the fines exacted from the people, creates a treasury under the control of Hajji Būtu, and entitles the sultan to a share of the fines collected by the various datus and chiefs. The chiefs and the people look upon it as another form of unjust taxation. The opposition to its adoption is so strong and so bitter that nothing except force of arms can enforce its use. This is beyond the power of the present sultan.IntroductionThis book is a guide to the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and the rules of the country. It is concurred in by all and is promulgated with the general consent of all datus, ministers,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.The CodeArticleISection1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.ArticleIISection1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.ArticleIIIIMMORAL CONDUCTSection1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(c) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave, he becomes the property of her master.(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.ArticleIVOPPROBRIUMSection1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.ArticleVTRADE AND EXCHANGESection1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.ArticleVIFALSE CLAIMSection1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.ArticleVIIUNLAWFUL EXACTIONSSection1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.ArticleVIIIDEBTSection1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.ArticleIXFINDSSection1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.ArticleXAll subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

The New Sulu Code

The new code is a rearrangement of the old code with some changes and modifications. Its author is Hajji Būtu Abdu-l-Bāqi, the present prime minister or adviser of the Sultan Jamālu-l-Kirām the Second. It was issued in the latter part of 1902, but there has been so much objection to it on the part of many datus and chiefs that its general adoption seems impossible.For a Sulu Hajji Būtu is a man of talent and understanding. He knows some Arabic and is probably the best Sulu scholar in the Archipelago.This code greatly increases the fines exacted from the people, creates a treasury under the control of Hajji Būtu, and entitles the sultan to a share of the fines collected by the various datus and chiefs. The chiefs and the people look upon it as another form of unjust taxation. The opposition to its adoption is so strong and so bitter that nothing except force of arms can enforce its use. This is beyond the power of the present sultan.IntroductionThis book is a guide to the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and the rules of the country. It is concurred in by all and is promulgated with the general consent of all datus, ministers,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.The CodeArticleISection1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.ArticleIISection1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.ArticleIIIIMMORAL CONDUCTSection1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(c) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave, he becomes the property of her master.(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.ArticleIVOPPROBRIUMSection1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.ArticleVTRADE AND EXCHANGESection1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.ArticleVIFALSE CLAIMSection1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.ArticleVIIUNLAWFUL EXACTIONSSection1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.ArticleVIIIDEBTSection1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.ArticleIXFINDSSection1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.ArticleXAll subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

For a Sulu Hajji Būtu is a man of talent and understanding. He knows some Arabic and is probably the best Sulu scholar in the Archipelago.

This code greatly increases the fines exacted from the people, creates a treasury under the control of Hajji Būtu, and entitles the sultan to a share of the fines collected by the various datus and chiefs. The chiefs and the people look upon it as another form of unjust taxation. The opposition to its adoption is so strong and so bitter that nothing except force of arms can enforce its use. This is beyond the power of the present sultan.

IntroductionThis book is a guide to the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and the rules of the country. It is concurred in by all and is promulgated with the general consent of all datus, ministers,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.

Introduction

This book is a guide to the proper execution of the duties of office in accordance with the law and the rules of the country. It is concurred in by all and is promulgated with the general consent of all datus, ministers,panglima, and subordinate officers of state.May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.

May God enhance by it the good and prosperity of our country.

This at 9 o’clock, Saturday, the 11th of the monthJul Kaidatof the yearB, which corresponds to the year 1320 A. H.

This is to proclaim hereby the decrees of Padukka Mahasari Mawlāna Hajji Mohammed Jamālu-l-Kirām.

The subjects discussed in the following articles are, first, theft; second, murder; third, adultery; fourth, opprobrium; fifth, cases arising from unwitnessed purchase; sixth, false claims; seventh, unlawful or unauthorized exactions; eighth, debt; ninth, finds; tenth, unjust actions and decisions.

To every crime or misdemeanor which comes under these articles a fine is attached, differing according to the nature and the degree of the crime.

The CodeArticleISection1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.ArticleIISection1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.ArticleIIIIMMORAL CONDUCTSection1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(c) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave, he becomes the property of her master.(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.ArticleIVOPPROBRIUMSection1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.ArticleVTRADE AND EXCHANGESection1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.ArticleVIFALSE CLAIMSection1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.ArticleVIIUNLAWFUL EXACTIONSSection1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.ArticleVIIIDEBTSection1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.ArticleIXFINDSSection1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.ArticleXAll subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

The Code

ArticleISection1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.ArticleIISection1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.ArticleIIIIMMORAL CONDUCTSection1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.(c) If a male slave commits adultery with a married female slave, he becomes the property of her master.(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.ArticleIVOPPROBRIUMSection1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.ArticleVTRADE AND EXCHANGESection1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.ArticleVIFALSE CLAIMSection1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.ArticleVIIUNLAWFUL EXACTIONSSection1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.ArticleVIIIDEBTSection1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.ArticleIXFINDSSection1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.ArticleXAll subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

ArticleI

Section1. The thief shall be fined seventy pesos, no matter what he steals. The fine shall always be seventy pesos irrespective of the person robbed, be he low or high in rank. The manner in which the fine shall be divided between the person robbed and the treasury differs.

(a) If the sultan’s property is stolen, fifty pesos shall go to the sultan and twenty pesos to the treasury.

(b) If datus with official titles or Twan Habīb Mūra are robbed, forty pesos shall go to the person robbed and thirty pesos shall go to the treasury.

(c) If other datus or Twan Hajji Būtu or a descendant of aSarīpare robbed, thirty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and thirty-five to the treasury.

(d) If a minister of rank and official title or a hajji in the council of the sultan is robbed, thirty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty pesos to the treasury.

(e) If a minister of rank without any official title or apanglima pihaq12or apanditaof the capital is robbed, twenty-five pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and forty-five to the treasury.

(f) If a subordinate officer of state or an agent of the sultan or a countrypanditais robbed, twenty pesos shall be paid to the person robbed and fifty to the treasury.

(g) If a common person is robbed, fifteen pesos shall be paid to him and fifty-five to the treasury.

(h) The thefts referred to above include cattle, slaves, and every article of value.

Sec.2. (a) If a free person is abducted, the fine shall be divided equally between his agnate and cognate heirs and the treasury.

(b) The abducted person should be returned. No one except the child or wife of the abductor, in case the abductor is a free man, can be substituted for the abducted person.

(c) If a free person is abducted by a slave, the master of the slave will be held responsible. If the abducted person is not returned, the abducting party, whether one person or many, will be taken instead.

(d) Small thefts below the value of one peso shall not be punishable by fines. The stolen object shall be returned twofold and the thief shall suffer fifty lashes.

ArticleII

Section1. Murder is of four kinds—the first is intentional; the second, semiintentional; the third is accidental; the fourth, murder committed by a crowd.

Sec.2. The fine for intentional murder shall be one hundred and five pesos; seventy for the agnate and cognate heirs of the murdered person and thirty-five for the treasury.

Sec.3. An attempt to kill that does not result in death shall be punished by a fine of fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the near relatives of the attacked or injured person and eighteen pesos shall be paid to the treasury.

Sec.4. All cases of semiintentional and of accidental murder and cases of murder committed by a crowd shall be treated alike and fined equally. The fine shall be fifty-two pesos and a half; thirty-four pesos and a half shall be paid to the heirs of the murdered person and eighteen pesos to the treasury.

Sec.5. If more than one person is killed, one hundred and five pesos shall be paid for each person killed as his blood money.

ArticleIII

IMMORAL CONDUCT

Section1. If a married woman commits adultery, she shall become the slave of her husband, and the guilty man shall pay a fine of one hundred pesos to the treasury, and in case he can not pay that sum he shall become a slave himself.

Sec.2. If a married woman is simply guilty of immoral conduct, such as a kiss or an embrace with another man, and quickly reports the facts to her husband or his immediate relatives, her conduct will then be regarded as compulsory and she will not be liable to any punishment; but the man shall be liable to a fine of one hundred pesos, half of which shall be paid to the husband of the woman and the other half to the treasury.

Sec.3. The abduction of a woman and cases of compulsory marriage shall be treated alike. The guilty man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, out of which the treasury shall receive twenty pesos.

The woman’s dower under such circumstances will be like that of her mother, and nothing else of the usual formalities shall be given to her people.

Sec.4. In cases of seduction, admitted or inferred by the woman’s request to marry the man, both man and woman shall be fined. The man shall pay a fine of fifty pesos, twenty of which shall be paid to the treasury, and the woman shall pay a fine of ten pesos to the treasury.

Sec.5. Cases of elopement are considered as seduction, though therebe no actual sexual intercourse between the man and the woman, because elopement occurs by the mutual consent of both parties.

Sec.6. (a) In case a woman was regularly engaged and has lost her virginity, her dower and herbasingan(the bridal price expressed in ounces of gold, and paid to the parents of the bride) and all other gifts shall be returned to her husband. The expenses of the marriage, as of rice and meat, etc., shall not be paid back.

(b) But in case a woman who has lost her virginity is abducted or married by compulsion, the husband shall forfeit all claim to her dower or herbasingan, etc.

Sec.7. (a) If a male slave commits adultery with a married free woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.

(b) If a free man commits adultery with a married slave woman, he becomes the slave of her husband.

(d) Cases of seduction or marriage between slaves, in which the woman is a maid, shall be treated the same as if they were free persons, except that the fines shall be half as much.

ArticleIV

OPPROBRIUM

Section1. An adult who insults, abuses, defames, or slanders another adult, without any provocation or in a way that is inappropriate to the guilt committed, shall, if brought to trial, be fined ten pesos.

Sec.2. Children who commit the aforesaid offense are not liable to trial.

Sec.3. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and hurts a child, he shall compensate for the harm done.

Sec.4. If in such cases an adult interferes with children and he hurts himself, he forfeits all claim for compensation.

Sec.5. Women who commit the same offense shall, as in the case of children, not be liable to trial.

ArticleV

TRADE AND EXCHANGE

Section1. Under this article is included the sale or exchange of slaves, cattle, arms, and all commodities.

Sec.2. Whoever trades or exchanges without the knowledge and the authorization of the governor or his representative shall be fined seventy pesos. Each party to a sale or exchange, no matter what the rank of the person may be, shall pay the fine. All of the fine shall go to the treasury.

Sec.3. To buy a stolen article is the same as to steal it.

ArticleVI

FALSE CLAIM

Section1. A false charge, a false claim of debt, and a false complaint or suit shall be regarded as cases of robbery.

ArticleVII

UNLAWFUL EXACTIONS

Section1. Whoever exacts or enforces a claim without either the permission or the advice of the governor shall forfeit that claim and all rights to a just trial of the case.

Sec.2. If a person fails to respect or disobeys the advice or decision of the governor, he shall forfeit his right to the contested object.

Sec.3. If a person is not sure of the exact amount of the claim he exacts, he shall forfeit his right, and shall return the amount exacted, and pay a fine of ten pesos, to be divided equally between the governor and the treasury.

Sec.4. (a) If a fight starts unexpectedly between two parties and results in harm to a third noncombatant party, the combatants shall be held equally responsible for the harm.

(b) If the harm in the above case amounts to death, both combatants shall be liable for the blood money and the crime shall be regarded as intentional murder.

(c) If harm in the same case falls short of death, the combatants shall be liable for half the blood money and a fine of twenty pesos, to be paid to the treasury.

Sec.5. Whoever attacks or invades the house of another without the permission of the governor and causes the death of another party shall be guilty of intentional murder and shall be liable for the blood money of the person killed and a fine of twenty pesos to the treasury.

Sec.6. (a) If in the above case the attacking party is killed the blood money shall be forfeited.

(b) If the attacking party is only injured, he shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos and shall pay for all that is lost or destroyed by reason of his attack.

(c) If the attacking party is multiple, each person shall be liable to a fine of twenty pesos, no matter how many they may be, but the damage done shall be compensated for by the leader or instigator of the attack alone.

ArticleVIII

DEBT

Section1. The creditor shall ask and investigate about the debtor from those who know him and shall also inform the heirs of the debtor concerning the debt to be contracted, for in case the debt is contractedwithout the knowledge of the heirs and the debtor dies the heirs shall not be held responsible for the payment of the debt.

Sec.2. In case the debtor dies and leaves property inheritance and wives and children, his debt shall be paid from that inheritance.

Sec.3. A debt is void unless it is called for before the lapse of three years in case both debtor and creditor live in the same town. This shall not hold true in case they live in two different towns, especially when they are separated by sea.

ArticleIX

FINDS

Section1. The finder of any property, whether it be a horse or head of cattle, or a runaway slave, or any forgotten or fallen article, shall be rewarded, no matter who finds it.

Sec.2. The customary reward for a find is at the rate of one cent for every dollar’s worth of the find.

Sec.3. In case the find is made within the limits of the town and belongs to a member of the same party, it shall be returned without any reward.

Sec.4. Any person who makes a find shall make it known to the public, or bring it to the governor, or return it to its owner. If this is not done, and the find is not submitted to the governor within seven days, the case shall be regarded as robbery and the finder shall be fined seventy pesos, to be paid to the treasury. The same rule shall govern similar cases that occur out in the country or on the sea, except that the fine shall be equally divided between the governor and the treasury. The share that belongs to the treasury shall be intrusted to the governor for safe-keeping and future payment to the treasury. Any dishonesty committed in this matter will be a sin that results in loss both in this world and in the world to come.

ArticleX

All subordinate officers of state are hereby enjoined to exercise all care and justice in their judgments and to adhere with all devotion to the seven articles of Mohammedan law.

In case any complainant appeals to one of you from the decision of another authority, do not accept the appellant’s statement and render your decision without inquiring well about the case from the previous authority who judged it. In case you find the decision of that authority wrong, do not be ready and quick to blame and criticise him, but try to act in conformity and union.

In case you find his decision right, bring both the appellant and the appellee to thepanglima. If thepanglimadoes not furnish a solution, he shall bring them to the sultan, together with the authority fromwhose decision the appeal was made and the authority to whom the appeal was made.

If the authority to whom they appeal does not investigate or inquire from the authority from whom they have appealed, his decision shall be null and void.

Any person who exercises the right to judge without authority from the sultan shall be fined one male unmarried slave.

All governors and their subjects shall abide by and aid in carrying out all the articles and provisions of this code. Any person who does not fulfill this duty will have all the curses and the calamities of this world and of the world to come that befall the man who swears falsely by the thirty parts of the Quran.

First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectFirst page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

First page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialect

Photo by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectSecond page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialectPhoto by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

Second page of the new Sulu Code in the Sulu dialect

Photo by Martin. (About one-half original size.)

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