Mohammad Natsir | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Natsir, c. 1954 | |
| 5th Prime Minister of Indonesia | |
| In office 6 September 1950 – 27 April 1951 | |
| President | Sukarno |
| Deputy | Hamengkubuwono IX |
| Preceded by |
|
| Succeeded by | Soekiman Wirjosandjojo |
| 2nd Minister of Information | |
| In office 29 January 1948 – 4 August 1949 | |
| President | Sukarno |
| Prime Minister | Mohammad Hatta |
| Preceded by | Sjahbudin Latif |
| Succeeded by | Sjafruddin Prawiranegara |
| In office 12 March 1946 – 26 June 1947 | |
| President | Sukarno |
| Prime Minister | Sutan Sjahrir |
| Preceded by | Amir Sjarifuddin |
| Succeeded by | Setiadi Reksoprodjo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 July 1908 Solok, Dutch East Indies |
| Died | 6 February 1993 (aged 84) Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Political party | Masyumi |
| Spouse |
Nurnahar
(m. 1934; died 1991) |
| Alma mater | Algemene Middelbare School |
| Occupation |
|
| Awards | National Hero of Indonesia |
Mohammad Natsir (17 July 1908 – 6 February 1993)[1] was an Islamic scholar and politician. He was Indonesia's fifth prime minister.
After moving to Bandung from his hometown Solok, West Sumatra for 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 the New Order government took 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 the Sukarno and Suharto government's handling of the religion. He was given three honorary doctorates during his lifetime, one from Lebanon and two from Malaysia. On 10 November 2008, Natsir was honoured as a national hero of Indonesia.