The Great Indonesian Scholar Whose Brother Became a Priest in America

Religious tolerance was not merely a slogan within the family of Buya Hamka. Known as a prominent Islamic figure and one of Indonesia’s greatest scholars, Buya Hamka had a younger half-brother, Abdul Wadud Karim Amrullah, who chose to convert to another faith and became a priest.

Buya Hamka was born as Abdul Malik, while his brother was named Abdul Wadud Karim Amrlamullah, also known as Awka. Growing up in a devout Muslim family, both brothers possessed strong religious knowledge from a young age, having received both formal and non-formal Islamic education. However, their educational paths differed significantly due to a 19-year age gap.

Awka was noted to be closer to their father than Hamka, who had left home to wander at a young age. In the autobiography ‘Sumatran Warrior: Mighty Man of Love and Courage’ (2016), Awka recounts accompanying his father in the struggle for Indonesian independence from Padang to Java. After their father, Karim Amrullah, passed away on 2 June 1945, Awka decided to move to the United States in 1949 at the age of 22.

‘In early 1949, I left Indonesia and worked on ships that travelled the world, including the United States. I eventually settled in San Francisco, USA, in late 1950 and worked part-time on farms,’ Awka stated. A reunion between Awka and Buya Hamka occurred in 1952. After ten years apart, they were very different: Hamka had become a renowned preacher and Muslim figure in Indonesia, while Awka had adopted the Western name Willy Amrul.

Meeting Hamka allowed Awka to secure steady employment at the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco. From this position, he was active in spreading Islamic teachings at the Islamic Center in Los Angeles and helped found the Indonesian Community Association in the US in 1962. During his time working and spreading the faith, Awka married Vera Ellen George in 1970 and had three children. His family was raised with devout Islamic teachings, as was Vera, who was a convert to Islam.

In his autobiography, Awka recounts providing Vera with prayer veils, prayer mats, and other Islamic prayer equipment to support her faith. They had lived in Indonesia, but a change occurred in 1981 when Vera wished to convert to Christianity. Awka experienced great shock and anger, facing a significant domestic dilemma.

After enduring a major period of marital turmoil, Awka decided to convert to Christianity. He and his family were baptised in Kebayoran Baru. In 1983, they returned to the US, where Awka committed himself to becoming a priest in California. Consequently, the Christian community came to know him as Reverend Willy Amrul.

At the time of his brother’s conversion, Hamka was already a famous Indonesian scholar and the first Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). His influence was significant, including his fatwa prohibiting Muslims from participating in Christmas celebrations. However, Hamka was unable to comment on his brother’s decision as he had passed away in 1981, before Awka’s conversion. Awka’s work as a priest continued in both the US and Indonesia; he notably attempted to spread Christianity in West Sumatra in 1996, before returning to the US, where he lived until his death in 2012.