[1][2] Born in Johor Bahru, she graduated from her English-Medium secondary school and University of Malaya (1957).

Adibah is remembered by many English speakers as the author of the column in the New Straits Times which she wrote in the 1970s and 1980s using the pen name Sri Delima.

[3] Adibah's writing includes three novels in Malay: Bangsawan Tulen ("The True Aristocrat", 1950), Seroja Masih di Kolam ("The Lotus is still in the Pond", 1972, translated into Japanese in 1986), and Tempat Jatuh Lagi Dikenang ("We still remember places where we fell", 1985).

[5] She was also engaged in literary translations from Malay to English: "No Harvest but a Thorn" by Shahnon Ahmad and "Jungle of Hope" by Keris Mas in addition to the works of poetry by Usman Awang.

She also made appearances in three films: Adik Manja, (1980), Hati Bukan Kristal (1989), and Mat Som (1990).