It is known that all are bound to the Almighty and were made to submit to Him. All spirits were made to submit to Allah as well as to Adam, the vice-regent of His power on earth. But there was one that did not. In his arrogance and envy he refused to bow down and even repent for his insolence.

The jinn tempted Adam and his wife and because of this was condemned to eternal suffering, but Saytan’s sentence was stayed until the last day of judgement.

And so, he waits.

And so, he plots.

There was a time when Adam, the Datu’ of the land was faced with a matter regarding his children. Five were his sons, and afterwards a sixth child was born. This offspring was not like the rest: it had no mouth, no eyes, no hands, no feet and no ears. It was like a lanzones fruit that could only roll.

Adam was perplexed. What was this thing that he had begotten? Why was it so different from his other children? What could be done about it?

His son, Jibrail learned about this strange occurrence and went to his father to see for himself. Jibrail asked what had his mother given birth to and Adam could only reply that it was different from him and his other siblings.

Adam told his son that he did not know what to do and Jibrail told him not to worry. This problem would land on Jibrail’s shoulders and he told his father such.

Jibrail returned home and, after rest, he appealed to God and sat in a tahayat* manner. God replied and asked why He had been invoked.

Jibrail bowed before the Immaculate one. He told Him of the sixth offspring of Adam. How the other children were like everyone else, but this thing was like a lanzones fruit.God commented that He had never encountered such a thing and left Jibrail to wonder. Jibrail asked God what should be done with the offspring.

God decreed that Jibrail should go back to his father and plant the offspring. Jibrail obeyed and told his father what God had decreed.

Adam obeyed and planted it.

And so, he waited.

After a week, Adam noticed that there were things that resembled needle tips growing from the ground.

After ten nights, he found that it had sprouted.

After fifteen days, green leaves were all around it.

After a month there were two robust budsthat had branches.

After two months the lower and middle parts of the bud had become smaller.
Two and a half months had passed when Datu’ Saytan appeared in the garden. He rejoiced at the plant. Unbeknownst to the Datu an unseen companion** had heard him celebrate the growth of the plant.

After a long time had passed Datu’ Saytan returned to his home and the companion went to see Adam. The companion told Adam about how Datu’ Saytan rejoiced in the garden, saying the plant was his.

Adam scoffed at Datu’ Saytan’s arrogance. He would never accept that Saytan could take the plant away from him even going as far as saying if he sees Saytan in the garden he would cut him alive in two with a sword. More time had passed and Adam and Datu’ Saytan had found each other in a quarrel, both claiming ownership of the plant. In the midst of the fight the skin of the plant’s fruit had turned light yellow.

After learning of his father’s fight with Saytan, Jibrail went to see Adam. Jibrail was told that each side had taken ownership of the plant and Jibrail’s words were thus, “Do not fight with each other. Settle this amicably.” Adam replied and agreed with him.

Once again Jibrail consulted God’s wisdom. He told the Almighty about the trouble Datu’ Saytan was causing and God’s decree was, “We will judge them. Tell Adam to bring grains of the plant in his right hand and have Datu’ Saytan bring some grains in his left hand.”

Jibrail met with both Adam and Datu’ Saytan and told them of God’s decree. Both agreed to stand before God and be judged at the portals of heaven.
An angel was sent to fetch the two and both made their case before the Almighty. Saytan stood firm in his assertion that the plant was his and Adam replied with his own case that it was God himself that ordered him to plant his sixth offspring.

God said to Datu’ Saytan, “Will you open your left hand?
What is in it, Datu’ Saytan?”

Saytan opened his hand and nothing but chaff was in it.

God then said to Adam, “You, too, open yours.”

Adam opened his hand and in it was a multitude of husked grains.

God’s judgment was clear: Datu’ Saytan had lost, his lies were revealed in his hands.

Datu’ Saytan asked God, “What is that plant? The world is already complete.***”

And God replied, “Rice.”

Saytan then said that he must have a share of it and when Jibrail asked him how he would have his share Saytan said that the people of earth would cultivate the plant and when that happens the owner of the crop should not partake of the rice until it has been used in performing the devotional prayer. It should also not be placed on the weighing scale. Whatever is left must be used for the prayer and that would be Saytan’s.

And Jibrail replied, “This means that for any rice seedlings left, a small amount of it should be used as an offering to God.”

And thus ends the story of how rice came to be.

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This narrative was originally narrated by Mullung (Muhammad Absari Salahuddin), a Tausug storyteller.

Mullung’s philosophy (as explained by Maduh Damsani, a relative of his) is “Kata piya-awn sin Tuhan bunnal katan” – “All that is created by Allah is true”. Stories are a creation and because creation belongs to Allah, and Allah is true, therefore his stories are true.

His narration of this kaawn (creation story) is perceived by Mullung’s inner spirit and does not fit to the letter of the Qur’an.

*Tahayat refers to the ninth essential position for prayers, a sitting position in which the right foot is inserted behind the left knew and the buttocks touches the left foot.

**The companion is called Sahabat, a term of Arabic origin and often refers to a companion or follower of the Prophet.

***Implied here is the question, “Why add one more species?”

Written by Karl Gaverza

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Story adapted from In Kaawn sin Pây – The Creation of Rice, Narrated by Mullung in Voices from Sulu: A Collection of Tausug Oral Traditions pg 34-47.

The Devil (Datu’ Saytan) Illustration by Leandro Geniston

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