Mohammad Natsir

Mohammad Natsir was an influential Islamic scholar and politician in Indonesia. He was born in Solok, West Sumatra, on 17 July 1908. He received his early education in Islamic schools and later studied at a senior high school in Bandung, where he developed his interest in Western classics and Islamic doctrine. He began his career as a journalist and writer, contributing to various Islamic-themed papers and magazines. He also wrote several books on Islam, politics, and history. He entered politics in the mid-1930s, joining the Islamic party Masyumi. He became one of the leaders of the party and advocated for the establishment of an Islamic state in Indonesia. He was involved in the struggle for independence from the Dutch colonial rule and participated in several negotiations and conferences. He served as the minister of information in several cabinets under the presidents Sukarno and Hatta. He became the fifth prime minister of Indonesia on 5 September 1950, leading a coalition government that faced many challenges, such as regional rebellions, economic difficulties, and foreign pressures. He resigned on 26 April 1951, after a conflict with President Sukarno over the role of Islam in the state. He continued to be active in Masyumi and opposed Sukarno's authoritarian policies. He was arrested in 1960 and accused of being involved in the PRRI rebellion, a separatist movement in Sumatra. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison, but was released in 1966 after the fall of Sukarno and the rise of Suharto's New Order regime. He remained critical of the government's treatment of Islam and human rights, and became a respected figure among the Islamic community. He was also active in international Islamic organizations, such as the Muslim World League and the World Muslim Congress. He died of a heart attack in Jakarta on 6 February 1993, at the age of 84. He was buried at the Karet Bivak Cemetery, with thousands of people attending his funeral. He was honored as a national hero of Indonesia in 2008.