Before we go deep into the discussion, let's we share to you little bit about the meaning of custom and culture according to the dictionary, according to Merriam Webster it said: "a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class or habitual with an individual". Therefore, we can derive from this definition that, custom is a practice that regularly practiced by specific society in a specific place. 

We can conclude that every nation have their own custom, same goes for Minangkabau people. They have their own custom, and is very strong in defending their custom. So, because of this the reformist that came back from Middle East want to reform their own country as they see the custom that practiced by their own people contradicts with Islamic teaching.

Rantau 
One of the famous customs practised by Minangkabau is "Rantau". Rantau is the act of going out from the heartland of Minangkabau to other regions for different purposes. Some for study, trading and other purposes.(1) Some of them return back and some are not. They established new settlements beyond the heartland, so the Minangkabau region managed to expand and multiply.  Because of this the Minangkabau people can be found in the separate region, not only at the Minangkabau heartland. 

In the east of Sumatra, Minangkabau culture mixes with the world of the coastal Malays. In the south, the Minangkabau people interact with the inhabitant of Bengkulu and Jambi. This shapes the local politics and customs. The northern frontier, where Minangkabau Maindailing batak culture has for the past two centuries been the site of the most intensive interaction(2). Mandailing was the focus of a ferocious proselytizing jihad from Minangkabau in the early nineteenth century Some scholars mentioned the Padri Movement happened in this place, where the Maindailing people were the key players in the West Sumatran modernity.

Matriarchate 
Matriachate is defined as a system of social organization in which inheritance are traced through the female line. In the past, not only in inheritance and descendant, but also in family matters - females is given more power. It seems like a man do not have any place or power to become a leader in family. 

Whereby Minangkabau man only live with his mother in a short period, later he need to go to the mosque for learning along with his friends the same age. Furthermore, when he gets married, he also still tied up with his mother house, they return to that house daily to work the fields, convalesce there in time of sickness, and were eventually buried in the maternal graveyard. Other than that, he works to give to their mother or his child, that’s why when the woman gets divorced, her husband is the one who need to go out from the house.

So, we can see that some of the practices of Minangkabau people do contradict with Islamic teaching, that’s why some Minangkabau Islamic scholars opposed this type of practice.

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(1) In the book that write by Hamka, he said some of them migrate because some of them are not agree with the matriarch custom such as Syeikh Ahmad Khatib.

2. Hadler, J. (2009). Muslims And Matriarchs, Culture Resilence in Minangkabau through Jihan and Colonialism. Singapore: NUS press. p. 4

 3. Abdullah, t. (2009). Schools and Politics=The Kaum Muda Movement In West Sumatra (1927-1933). united states: Cornell southeast Asia program publication.

 4.  Hamka. (1985). Islam dan Adat Minagkabau. Jakarta: Pustaka Panjimas.