In his early years, Fakih was criticized by conservative Muslims for his involvement with the modernist Islamic Muhammadiyah organization, though he is remembered fondly by the group.

Born to a merchant and his wife in Gresik, Dutch East Indies, Fakih studied with his father and at a series of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) until the 1920s.

[3] From 1932 to 1936 Fakih was a member of the Muhammadiyah's regional council, serving concurrently as the editor of the organisation's official magazine Bintang Islam, and on the Legal Affairs Committee.

[5] However, conservative Muslims disapproved of Fakih's work with Muhammadiyah, giving him the nickname Londho silit ireng ("Dutchman with the black arse"),[5] and often throwing stones at his home.

[9] It was reformed on 5 September 1942 following a meeting of 30 ulamas in the Des Indes Hotel in Jakarta and was recognized by the occupation government as the sole Islamic organization in the country.

[10] At the end of 1943, the organization was renamed the Council of Indonesian Muslim Associations (Partai Majelis Syura Muslimin Indonesia, abbreviated as Masyumi).

[12] After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the proclamation of Indonesian independence in August 1945,[13] the Japanese began withdrawing from the nascent republic.

By September 1945, however, allied British and Dutch forces had begun to enter the archipelago, hoping to reestablish the status quo ante.

The British initially focused on Java and Sumatra and attempted to avoid armed confrontations with the Republican forces; the Dutch, meanwhile, spent the first months after the Japanese surrender reclaiming the eastern islands with help from Australia.

Although Fakih returned to Gresik after the conference, he and his family soon evacuated to Malang due to the outbreak of a battle at Surabaya between Republican soldiers and British forces tasked with repatriating Dutch prisoners of war.

[15] In Malang, Fakih worked with Masjkur and Zainul Arifin to start an armed resistance to fight in the revolution against the returning Europeans.

This act was controversial because four of the five allocated slots for the party were already filled by non-NU members, and ultimately the NU pulled out of Masyumi, effective 5 April 1952.

[22] Fakih was made the Minister of Religious Affairs in the Wilopo Cabinet and sworn in on 3 April 1952, which led to him and his family moving to the capital Jakarta.

This assembly, meant to reach an agreement for a new national constitution, failed to gain a consensus and was disbanded by President Sukarno with his decree of 5 July 1959.

This outlined the organisation as one based in dawah, focusing on real-world issues, and willing to work with the government to ensure a prosperous future for Muslims.

[30] These concepts were later formulated in 1962 and established as an institutional identity, one which called for Muhammadiyah to work towards creating a truly Islamic society while opposing leftist politics.

During the killings and power shift that followed the 30 September Movement coup attempt, Fakih and several Muhammadiyah members sent a letter requesting that Masyumi be allowed to reform; this permission was not granted.

[33] On 2 October, at a joint meeting of the board at his home, he outlined his plans for his three-year period of leadership; Fakih also appointed Rasjidi and Abdul Rozak Fachruddin as temporary leaders while he went abroad for medical treatment.