Apart from his devoutness, Buya Hamka was also known for his intelligence, diligence, and brilliance. His success in acquiring knowledge extended beyond formal education, as he was an autodidact in various fields, including philosophy, literature, history, sociology, and politics, both in the Islamic and Western contexts. With his proficiency in the Arabic language, Buya Hamka extensively studied the works of prominent scholars and literary figures from the Middle East, such as Mustafa al-Manfaluti, Abbas al-Aqqad, Husain Haikal, Jurji Zaidan, and Zaki Mubarak. He also delved into the works of Western scholars like Albert Camus, William James, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Toynbee, Jean-Paul Sartre, Karl Marx, and Pierre Loti.
In 1927, Buya Hamka embarked on a teaching career by becoming a religious instructor at the Tebing Tinggi Plantation in Medan. Two years later, he also began teaching in Padang Panjang. His educational journey continued as he taught at the Islamic University of Jakarta and the Muhammadiyah University of Padang Panjang from 1957 to 1958. Buya Hamka was also entrusted with the role of rector at the Islamic University of Jakarta.
Besides his dedication to knowledge, Buya Hamka was actively involved in the social and community organization, Muhammadiyah. He played a crucial role in the declaration of Muhammadiyah’s establishment in 1925. He served as the chairman of the Makassar branch of Muhammadiyah in 1928, later becoming the Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Leadership Council in West Sumatra in 1946. In 1953, he assumed the role of Advisor to the Central Leadership of Muhammadiyah.
In the political arena, Buya Hamka was a member of Sarekat Islam in 1925. In 1947, he was appointed as the chairman of the National Defense Front and also served as a member of the Masyumi Constituent Assembly. Unfortunately, when Sukarno’s government dissolved Masyumi in 1960, four years later, in 1964-1966, Buya Hamka was imprisoned on charges of being pro-Malaysia.
Before his foray into politics, he was a writer and editor. In the 1920s, Buya Hamka worked as a journalist for several newspapers, including Pelita Andalas, Seruan Islam, Bintang Islam, and Seruan Muhammadiyah. In 1928, Hamka became the editor of the magazine Kemajuan Masyarakat, and in 1932, he ventured into editing and publishing with the magazine al-Mahdi in Makasar. He also served as the editor for magazines like Pedoman Masyarakat, Panji Masyarakat, and Gema Islam.
In recognition of his contributions to the academic world, Buya Hamka received an honorary doctorate, “doctor honoris causa,” from Al-Azhar University in 1958 and from the National University of Malaysia in 1974. He also received other titles and honors from the Indonesian government, such as Datuk Indono and Pengeran Wiroguno. On July 26, 1975, when the first Indonesian Council of Ulama was formed, Buya Hamka was unanimously chosen as its chairman.