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sis, under the heads Anbiya, Piraqon and Muhammad (21.700—22.000), Javanese legendary history of Islamic antiquity based on Arabic Hadith will be discussed. Properly speaking, the history of Joseph in Egypt also belongs to this group, but then, in East Java and Madura, the Javanese Carita Yusup developed into a lengthy poem, the most popular reading-matter of the country-side. Therefore in the present Synopsis the Yusup is registered under a separate head in Part Three, Belles Lettres (30.520). Considered as popular books, the East Javanese Carita Yusup is comparable with the West Javanese Abdul Kadir. Many Yusup manuscripts contain inserted pas sages with edifying religious meditations. The Abdul Kadir tales, being biographical and referring to a venerated Master in mysticism, are closer to religious edifying literature than the more purely narrative Cariita Yusup is. In this connection it is worth noting that as a rule Yusup manu scripts are written in Javanese script, where as many manuscripts of the Abdul Kadir tales are in Arabic characters. Probably the Mikrad tale in Javanese verse, dealing with Muhammad’s Ascension (Mi'rag) to Heaven, was read in some religious communities as a ritual text on the occasion of the annual commemoration on the 27th of the month Ragab. A Yogya- karta version made by order of a Queen is remarkable for its composition, which is reminiscent of wayaq theatre plays. The text on the Prophet’s shaving, Paras Nabi, was very popular. It was considered as referring to Muhammad’s initial conse cration as God’s Messenger. Sometimes the Paras Nabi poem is found in manuscripts

together with Javanese incantations, like the Kiduq Rumëksa iq Wëqi (see 15.620). Perhaps in some religious communities it was sung occasionally as a hymn. The Kabar Naraka is a poetical version of the conversation of nabi TJisa (Jesus) with a skull (patak). It tells him about the conditions in Hell. Relevant manuscripts are indicated in the General Index under the catchwords Abdul Kadir, edifying, Kadis, Mikrad, Paras Nabi. 16.410 Abdul Kadir Jailani biography in verse: cod. 3124, 3358, 5601, 6468, 6560 (KBG, Braudes no 17), 6577, 7411 (= 10.762), 7422 (= 10.761), NBS 393, DFT S 240/ 280-46. 16.420 Carita Satus, edifying tales of the prophets, by Abu Hanifa, prose: cod. NBS 40. 16.430 Mikrad, Muhammad’s Ascension to Heaven, in verse: cod. 5039 (from Lombok), 6390 (from Yogyakarta), 6776 (= 10.837). 16.440 Paras Nabi, Muhammad’s Shaving, in prose and in verse: cod. 3191 (from Lombok), 7712, 9001. 16.450 Kabar Naraka, Sërat Patak, in verse: cod. 5769. 16.460 Maqsa Carita Kuna, moralistic stories: cod. 8983 no 3. 16.470 Glorification of Muhammad: cod. 5613. 16.500 Islamic didactic-moral istic texts (still group D, 14.000). It is difficult to make a distinction in Java nese Muslim religious literature between