Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, popularly known by the pen name Hamka, was born in Nagari Sungai Batang, Tanjung Raya, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, on February 17, 1908. Hamka was given the title Buya, a nickname for Minangkabau people who came from the word abi, abuya in Arabic, which means my father.
Hamka is a very productive writer. His orientation of thought encompasses various scientific disciplines, such as theology, Sufism, philosophy, Islamic education, Islamic history, fiqh, literature and interpretation. As a writer Hamka managed to write dozens of books with no less than 103 books.
Hamka has been detained for two years and four months without trial because he is considered to have violated the Anti-Subversive Law through Presidential Regulation No. 11. He was accused of being involved in the assassination attempt of Sukarno's president and then Minister of Religion, Syaifuddin Zuhri.