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Mohammad Natsir

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Mohammad Natsir
Portrait of Natsir,c. 1954
5thPrime Minister of Indonesia
In office
6 September 1950 – 27 April 1951
PresidentSukarno
DeputyHamengkubuwono IX
Preceded by
Succeeded bySoekiman Wirjosandjojo
2ndMinister of Information
In office
29 January 1948 – 4 August 1949
PresidentSukarno
Prime MinisterMohammad Hatta
Preceded bySjahbudin Latif
Succeeded bySjafruddin Prawiranegara
In office
12 March 1946 – 26 June 1947
PresidentSukarno
Prime MinisterSutan Sjahrir
Preceded byAmir Sjarifuddin
Succeeded bySetiadi Reksoprodjo
Personal details
Born(1908-07-17)17 July 1908
Solok,Dutch East Indies
Died6 February 1993(1993-02-06)(aged 84)
Jakarta,Indonesia
Political partyMasyumi
Spouse
Nurnahar
​
​
(m.1934;died 1991)​
Alma materAlgemene Middelbare School
Occupation
  • Politician
  • scholar
AwardsNational Hero of Indonesia

Mohammad Natsir(17 July 1908 – 6 February 1993)[1]was an Islamic scholar and politician. He was Indonesia's fifthprime minister.

After moving toBandungfrom his hometownSolok,West Sumatrafor senior high school, Natsir studied Islamic doctrine extensively. His first articles were published in 1929, and during the 1930s he wrote for several Islamic-themed papers. He entered politics in the mid-1930s, rising through the ranks of Islamic parties. On 5 September 1950, he was chosen as prime minister, a term which he served until 26 April 1951. After his term as prime minister, he became increasingly vocal about Islam's role in Indonesia and was eventually arrested for doing so. Released in 1966 after theNew Order governmenttook power, Natsir continued to be critical of the government, eventually leading to him being banned from traveling. He died in his home in Jakarta on 6 February 1993.

Natsir wrote extensively on Islam, totaling 45 books and hundreds of articles. He viewed Islam as an intrinsic part of Indonesian culture and was disappointed by theSukarnoandSuhartogovernment's handling of the religion. He was given three honorary doctorates during his lifetime, one fromLebanonand two fromMalaysia.On 10 November 2008, Natsir was honoured as anational hero of Indonesia.

Early life

[edit]

Natsir was born inSolok,West Sumatraon 17 July 1908. His parents were Mohammad Idris Sutan Saripado, a government employee, and Khadijah.[2][3]In 1916, he studied at HIS (Hollandsch-Inlandsche School) Adabiyah, Padang. After a few months, he moved to HIS Solok, studying there by day and at the Madrasah Diniyah by night.[2][3]Three years later, he moved to HISPadangtogether with his older sister. In 1923, he continued his studies at MULO (Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs) and he joinedPandu Nationale Islamietische PavinderijandJong Islamieten Bond.He also learned to play the violin.[3][4]

After graduating he moved to Bandung, where he studied at an AMS (Algememe Midelbare School,or senior high school).[3][4]Natsir later said that he had chosen the school for its Western classics class.[2]From 1928 until 1932, he became the chairman of JIB Bandung.[5]He then received a teaching permit after studying for two years at a native teachers' training college. Although he had previously studiedIslamin West Sumatra, while in Bandung he took a deeper interest in the religion, including subjects such asthe interpretation of the Quran,Islamic jurisprudence,anddialectics;he later studied under Ahmad Hassan, the leader of Persatuan Islam.[6]

Early career

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While still in high school, Natsir became involved in journalism. In 1929 he wrote two articles published in theAlgemeen Indische Dagblad,entitled "Qur'an en Evangelie" ( "The Quran and the Evangelicals" ) and "Muhammad als Profeet" ( "Muhammad as the Prophet" ). He also collaborated with other thinkers to publish the newspaperPembela Islam(Defenders of Islam) from 1929 to 1935 and wrote extensively about his views on the religion forPandji Islam(Banner of Islam),Pedoman Masyarakat(Guide for the People), andAl-Manār(The Torch). Aside from writing, Natsir founded Pendidikan Islam (Islamic Education), a private school, in 1930; the school was shut down after theJapanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies.[7]

Natsir began to associate with well-known scholars of Islam likeAgus Salim,[8]and in the mid-1930s he took Salim's place in discussing the relationship between Islam and the state with future-presidentSukarno.[9]In 1938, he enrolled as a member of Partai Islam Indonesia (The Indonesian Islamic Party), and became the chairman of the Bandung branch from 1940 until 1942.[9][5]He was also employed as the Bandung Bureau Head of Education until 1945. During the Japanese occupation, he joinedMajelis Islam A'la Indonesia(changed to Majelis Syura Muslimim Indonesia later), and became one of its chairmen from 1945 until the party was banned.[5][9]

Prime Minister of Indonesia

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See also:Natsir CabinetandLiberal democracy period in Indonesia

After theProclamation of Indonesian Independence,he became aCentral Indonesian National Committeemember. On 3 April 1950, he proposed a motion calledMosi Integral Natsir,that united Indonesia afteran agreementthat divided Indonesia into seventeen states.[10]Soon afterward, he became prime minister, influenced by his role as the head of Masyumi. He served until 1951.[11]

Post-Prime Ministership

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In theGuided Democracy era,he opposed the government and joined theRevolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia.As a result, he was arrested and imprisoned inMalangfrom 1962 until 1964. He was released by theNew Order governmentin July 1966.[12]

After his release from prison, Natsir became increasingly involved with organizations related to Islam, including the Majlis Ta'sisi Rabitah Alam Islami and Majlis Ala al-Alami lil Masjid, both inMecca,theOxford Centre for Islamic Studiesin England, and theWorld Muslim CongressinKarachi,Pakistan.[7]

Death

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In New Order era, he formed theIndonesian Islamic Propagation Council.He also criticized government policy, like when he signed thePetisi 50(Petition of Fifty) on 5 May 1980, which caused him to be banned from going overseas.[12]He died on 14 March 1993 in Jakarta.[13]

Politics and views

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According to Natsir, his politics were religiously motivated, withayat56 of theAdh-Dhariyatas justification. His goal as a politician was to ensure that theMuslim communitylived in a state where Islamic teachings "applied in the life of an individual, society, and the state of the Republic of Indonesia".[14]He also fought forhuman rightsand the modernization of Islam.[15]

Unlike the secular, pro-communist Sukarno, who viewed religion as an entity separated from the nation, Natsir believed that theseparation of church and statedid not apply to Indonesia, as he saw it as an intrinsic part of their culture and one of the main reasons they fought for independence. To support his position, he often quotedWilliam Montgomery Watt,saying that Islam is not just a religion, but an entire culture. After independence, Natsir became increasingly disheartened by how Sukarno, and laterSuharto,dealt with religion, writing in the early 1970s that Indonesia was treating Islam as one would treat "a cat with ringworms [sic] ".[15]He later began trying to bringPancasila,the state philosophy of Indonesia, completely by Islam.[15]

Writings

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Natsir published 45 books or monographs and several hundred articles dealing with his views of Islam. His early works, published in Dutch and Indonesian,[16]dealt with Islamic doctrine, culture, the relationship between Islam and politics, and the role ofwomen in Islam.[17]His later works included some written in English[16]and focused more on politics, as well asthe preaching of Islamand Christian-Muslim relations.[18]Ajip RosidiandHaji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullahhave noted that Natsir's writings serve both as historical records and also as guides for future Muslims.[16]

Legacy

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Natsir on a 2011 Indonesian stamp

In 1980, he received an award fromthe King Faisal Foundation.In academics, he received a doctorate honorary degree from the Islamic University of Lebanon in 1967 for literature. In 1991, he also received an honorary doctorate fromUniversiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaandUniversiti Sains Malaysiafor Islamic ideas.[13]On 10 November 2008, he was honoured as anational hero of Indonesia.[19]

According toBruce Lawrence,Natsir was "the most prominent politician favoring Islamic reform."[20]

Personal life

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He married Nurnahar in Bandung on 20 October 1934.[21]From their marriage, they had six children.[13]Natsir could reportedly speak numerous languages, includingEnglish,Dutch,French,German,andArabic;he was also capable of understandingEsperanto.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Index Na-Ne".
  2. ^abcMa'mur 1995,p. 29.
  3. ^abcdLuth 1999,pp. 21 –&#32, 23
  4. ^abDzulfikriddin 2010,pp. 19 –&#32, 20
  5. ^abcLuth 1999,pp. 23 –&#32, 24
  6. ^Ma'mur 1995,pp. 30–31.
  7. ^abMa'mur 1995,pp. 30–33.
  8. ^Ma'mur 1995,p. 33.
  9. ^abcMa'mur 1995,p. 34.
  10. ^Luth 1999,pp. 24 –&#32, 25
  11. ^Khouw 2008, In search of Mohammad.
  12. ^abLuth 1999,pp. 25 –&#32, 26
  13. ^abcLuth 1999,p. 27
  14. ^Ma'mur 1995,pp. 34–35.
  15. ^abcEffendy 2008, Mohammad Natsir.
  16. ^abcMa'mur 1995,p. 37.
  17. ^Ma'mur 1995,pp. 38–41.
  18. ^Ma'mur 1995,pp. 42–46.
  19. ^Tempo 2008, Sumatra Barat Sambut.
  20. ^Ma'mur 1995,p. 36.
  21. ^Lukman Hakiem 2019,pp. 49 –&#32, 50.
  22. ^Ma'mur 1995,p. 30.

Sources

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toMohammad Natsir.
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Indonesia
6 September 1950 – 27 April 1951 		Succeeded by
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