ABSTRACT
In classical Malay Literature, Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiyyah(hereinafter abbreviated as HMH) is classified as an Islamic epic and is influenced by Shia doctrines. HMH is known as one of the oldest Malay manuscripts (approximately from the 16th century) and is adapted from Persian literature into Malay literature. HMH narrates the story of Muhammad Hanafiyyah who was fighting for Ali’s descendants. The text of HMH is written in more than 30 manuscripts and spread all over the world. According to Brakel, there are three versions of HMH, namely (1) versio simplex (x version);(b) versio ornatior (y version); and (c) versio orna-tissima (y1 version). HMH is very popular because some manuscripts describe Muhammad Hanaffiyah as imam mahdi. In Haruku Island, Ambon, there is one manuscript entitled “Hikayat Khalifah Abu Bakar, Umar, Usman, dan Ali sampai Peperangan Hasan dan Husain di Karbala”(The stories of Abu Bakar, Umar, Usman, and Ali up to the War of Hasan and Husain in Karbala) (abbreviated as HKAUUA). This manuscript contains the story of Muhammad Hanafiyyah and this belongs to y1 version. This paper discusses the characteristics of HKAUUA as an Islamic epic from Ambon.
