The Oldest Known Malay Manuscript: A 16th Century Malay Translation of the Aqa'id of Nasal

This work once again displays the author's masterly grasp of scientific analysis and deduction. It represents a major discovery of the twentieth century in the field of Malay letters. This oldest known Malay manuscript conveys an important aspect of the religious and intellectual tradition of Islam in the Malay world, and as such it is undoubtedly of great significance not only for the study of Malay language and literature, but also for the study of the religious and intellectual history of the Malays. By means of this text the author has also discovered details of significance to historical writing in the Malay world hitherto enveloped in obscurity. He has with succinct precision unraveled the enigma surrounding the use and significance of the octennial cycle in the dating of historic events and of Malay texts, explaining away previous errors and confusion on the subject. The work as a whole is detailed an comprehensive.