Bugis handle - translation script

[Paul B.]

Is there anybody who can help me translate this script?
On back of the base ( one character missing) and breast part there is a Quran verse texting? Handle probably coming from Celebes.

[Green]

It is Islamic profession of faith "Laillahaillallah Muhammadurrasulullah"... there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah

[Paul B.]

Thanks! So that's the script on the back and what about the one in the circle?
I thought there was a date involved starting with 19...

[Green]

The one in the circle is Muhammad on top and rasullullah in a rather abbreviated jumbled up arrangement... muhammad rasullullah...

[Paul B.]

Thanks! Could you solve these signs as well Mr. Green?
Three more with a 'simple' script.
One Celebes ivory handle.
One gilded Bugis pendok.
One wooden Madura handle.

[Green]

The one on the pendok is a calligraphy of Allah and muhammad written inside it
the one on ivory handle is muhammad (in upside down position)
the one on madura handle I can not make it... will try to get arabic speaking people to decipher it..

[Paul B.]

Thank you and I would be delighted to find out the last one. The script is very well cut so hope there is anyone who can decipher it.

[Green]

You're in luck..

Just got the translation from one arabic speaker..
the madurese one according to him is as follows: (loosely translated)

An Nafiy = The one who gives benefits
Al Kafiy = the one who complete your needs

[Paul B.]

Needless to say, thank you!

[alexish]

Dear collectors,

Can you help me translate what appears to look like Arabic script on an ivory Minangkabau keris handle?

[Green]

looks like 'Allah' in arabic script

[jagabuwana]

To add on to Green's translation / transliteration of the first handle, it is the Shahada as he has said, but it is truncated. Instead of "...Muhammad ar-rasoolallah" (Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah) it is shortened to just "Muhammad ar-rasoolu" (.. is The Prophet).

I don't recognise what's on the Celebes ivory handle. It kinda looks like Sanskrit, or a script derived from it.

I also don't recognise the last photo as any script at all.

[Paul B.]

Thanks for the additional information.
Personally, even if I cannot translate Arab language, I have doubts about the scipt of Alexis handle.

Herewith I add two worn papers with texting which I found inserted in a pendok of a Djogja keris. It seems like a mantra and different scripts like Arab, old Javanese and sanskrit are involved ?
Hope anyone can be of any help.

[Green]

interesting... it is arabic alphabets written in bahasa melayu (malay) with arabic signs which is not normally used in malay words written in arabic script.
Also, the alphabets are writen separately which is not the usual case where certain alphabets can be connected.

From the rather poorly written alphabets I guess it is written by someone not very adept in writing arabic script and the use of signs above and below each alphabet is either to make it simpler for readers to read or the writer wants to make it look like quranic verses?

The first few words read

Bahawa ini surat maka di wasilkan(?) nya ke bawah duli ...

Here is a letter ??? to his highness... ???

I can't read many of the writings but it would be interesting to get some one to translate it fully.

[Paul B.]

Thanks again!
Do you think these sheets are related to the kris? Nowadays people use any kind of paper incl. the newspaper to fill the gap between a pendok and the gandar.

[Green]

i have no idea... but this paper does not look like random scraps to pad the pendok to me... i may be wrong though...

[jagabuwana]

I agree with Green - it doesn't seem like the writer had a great command of written Arabic script. There are also some characters used fairly often that aren't in the Arabic alphabet. The character looks like a an inverted c with three dots under it, in an upside-down orientation to how they are normally used, as in for the letters "thaa" and "sheen". Nor do I think this is present in Jawi.

As Green mentioned it is also interesting that they've added tashkil / harakat (accents and symbols to guide pronunciation). The impression that I get is that this person doesn't speak Arabic or knows how to deploy it, but has learned how to read and write it (or at least the letters) in the context of learning the Qur'an when they were younger.

Still, this doesn't seem like random packing paper to me. It'd be really interesting to find out what the letter is. And it is indeed a letter because it says many times "ini surat" or "surat ini", meaning "this letter". It's hard for me to make out anything after that.

[Paul B.]

I would like to show a script on the warangka of a Djogja keris to be translated. Could anyone be of help again?

[Green]

it is arabic "shukran"... meaning thank you

[Paul B.]

"shukran" Green!
Script seen at the back of this Djogja scabbard but vanished after repolishing as it was not an intrinsic part of the kris.

[David]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

"shukran" Green!
Script seen at the back of this Djogja scabbard but vanished after repolishing as it was not an intrinsic part of the kris.

Frankly i think it is better that it did vanish. I'm not sure why someone would ink "thank you" onto their wrongko in that manner anyway.

[Hartadi]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

I would like to show a script on the warangka of a Djogja keris to be translated. Could anyone be of help again?

This is Arabic text for “Sukarna” I guess the writer try to write “Sukarno” instead of “sukarna” because of letter “ ن" read as “Nun” there is no “Harkah/text sign to read it for “no” but “na-nu-ni”