Shofia Shabrina

HAMKA  is acronym of Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (HAMKA). He was an ulama, political activist, and one of Indonesian famous writer. He was born on February  17, 1908 (1908-02-17) in Molek Village, Maninjau, West Sumatera. His father Syeikh Abdul Karim bin Amrullah was known as Haji Rasul the pioneer of Islah Movement (tajdid) in Minangkabau, after returned from Makkah in 1906.

HAMKA had gotten low education in elementary school Maninjau until second class. When he was ten years old, his father had built Sumatera Thawalib in Padang Panjang. HAMKA was studying about Islam and deepening arabic language. HAMKA was also following islamic studying in mosques that was given by famous moslem scholars as Syeikh Ibrahim Musa, Syeikh Ahmad Rasyid, Sutan Mansur, R.M. Surjopranoto, and Ki Bagus Hadikusumo.

HAMKA was an aotodidact. He studied many knowledges by him self, observed and investigated many researches envelop many area of knowledges such as philosophy, literature, history, sociology, and politics. By his talent in arabic language, he could observe Middle East moslem scholars and great poets opuses like Zaki Mubarak, Jurji Zaidan, Abbas Al-‘aqqad, Mustafa Al-manfaluti, and Hussain Haikal. And also by arabic language, he observed scholars opuses from France, England, and Germany like Albert Camus, William James, Freud, Toynbee, Jean Sartre, Karl Marx, and Pierre Loti. HAMKA was dilligent i reading and discussing with famous jakarta figures like HOS Cokroaminoto, Raden Mas Surjoparonoto, Haji Fakrudin, AR Sutan Mansur, dan Ki Bagus Hadikusumo.

HAMKA was known as adventurer. His father even called him “Si Bujang Jauh”. In 1924, when he was sixteen years old, he went to Java learning details of modern islamic movement from HOS. Tjokroaminoto, Ki Bagus Hadikusumo, RM. Surjopanoto, and KH. Fakhruddin. After spent many time in Java, he went to Pekalongan and met his brother in law AR. Sutan Mansur the leader of Muhammadiyah Pekalongan that time. He met islamic figures there. In July 1925, he returned to his father home in Gatangan, Padang Panjang. Since then he started to active in Muhammadiyah organization.

In February 1927, HAMKA went to Makkah for hajj and stayed there for six months. During his living in makkah, he worked in a printing house. In July, he returned to Medan and to be a religion teacher there for months. In the end of 1927, he returned to his native land.

HAMKA was active in islamic movement as Muhammadiyah organization. He had followed this organization since 1925 to defying khurafat, bid’ah,tarekat, and digression in Padang Panjang, West Sumatera. In 1929, HAMKA had been a leader of branch of Muhammadiyah in Padang Panjang. In 1929, HAMKA founded centre of propagater (dakwah) training Muhammadiyah. Two years later he was appointed to be Muhammadiyah consultant in Makassar. In 1946, he was choosen to be leader of Muhammadiyah leadership council in West Sumatera by Muhammadiyah conference replaced S.Y. Sutan Mangkuto. In 1947, HAMKA was choosen to be leader of National Defence Line, Indonesia. He was a member of Masyumi and was to be the orator in general election 1955.

 He reorganized the development in 31-st Muhammadiyah congress at Jogjakarta in 1950 and in the same year HAMKA moved to Jakarta and he started his career as civil servant in ministry of religion that was chaired by KH. Abdul Wahid Hasyim. Also in 1950, HAMKA visited many countries in middle east after finishing his second hajj.

In 1953, HAMKA was choosen to be counselor of leadership centre Muhammadiyah. In July 26, 1957, Indonesia minister of religion Mukti Ali installed him as the general leader of Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) but in 1981 he retired from the function cause his advice was ignored by Indonesia Government.

Than, he was installed to be lecturer in Islamic University, Jakarta and Muhammadiyah University, Padang Panjang since 1957 untill 1958. Than, he was choosen to be rector Islamic Tertiary Educational Institution, Jakarta and to be Professor of Mustopo University, Jakarta. Since 1951 till 1960, he was choosen to be master official of religion by Indonesia Minister of Religion, but he retired from this function cause Soekarno asked him to choose between master official of religion and political activist of MASYUMI. But in 1960, Masyumi was prohibited by Indonesia government. Since 1964 untill 1966, HAMKA was imprisoned by President Soekarno cause he was accused pro Malaysia. During his time in jail, he started writing Tafsir Al-azhar that was his magnum opus. After went out from jail, he was appointed to be member of BMKN, MPHI, and LKNI.

Besides his activity in religion and politics, HAMKA was a journalist, writer, editor, and publisher. Since 1920, HAMKA was a journalist in some newspapers as Pelita Aandalas, Seruan Islam, Bintang Islam, and Seruan Muhammadiyah. In 1928, he was an editor in Kemajuan Masyarakat, Pedoman Masyarakat, Panji Masyarakat, and Gema Islam magazines. In 1932, he was an editor and publisher of Al-mahdi magazine in Makassar.

HAMKA had written many books and creative works. Tafsir Al-azhar (5 volumes) was his islamic scientific masterpiece. And many novels were written by him. His famous novels are Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck, Di Bawah Lindungan Ka’bah, Merantau ke Deli, etc.

HAMKA had ever received some awards in national and international as Doctor Honoris Causa from Al-azhar University and National University of Malaysia, and title Datuk Indono and Pangeran Wiroguno from Indonesia Government.

HAMKA had passed away in July 24 1981, but his good offices and his influence in raising and providing Islam are still felt until now. He was respected and accepted as Ulama and man of lettees not only in his country Indonesia, but also others as Malaysia and Singapore.