Minang descent and a noble background, is favoured by her family; they look down on Zainuddin, who is poor and of mixed heritage. Although Zainuddin receives a sizeable inheritance from Mak Base, he is too late to inform Hayati's family, and Aziz marries her. In despair, Zainuddin and his friend Muluk go to Java, first to Batavia and then to Surabaya, where Zainuddin becomes known as a writer and philanthropist. Aziz and Hayati also move to Surabaya, after Aziz is transferred. However, their relationship has soured and Aziz's temper leads to him being fired, leaving the couple homeless. After a period living with Zainuddin, Aziz runs away to Banyuwangi, leaving Hayati for Zainuddin; in a letter, Aziz writes that Zainuddin is more deserving. Zainuddin, who has suffered from his longing for Hayati, spurns her and tells her to return to Sumatra. The next day she boards the Van der Wijck, which sinks off the coast of northern Java. Hearing the news, Zainuddin and Muluk rush to Tuban to search for her. They find her in a hospital, where Zainuddin and Hayati make up; she then dies in his arms. Zainuddin's health worsens not long afterwards. After he dies, he is buried next to Hayati. Themes Like Di Bawah Lindungan Ka'bah (Under the Protection of Ka'bah; 1938) before it, Van der Wijck is critical of Minang adat (traditions), such as the treatment of persons of mixed descent and the role of women, an issue shown through Hayati's work to be an ideal wife despite Aziz mistreating her. Hamka found some traditions incompatible with the tenets of Islam and common sense. and continued to criticise adat in his works. Release and reception Van der Wijck was first published as a serial in his weekly Islamic-themed magazine Pedoman Masjarakat in Medan in 1938. According to Yunan Nasution, an employee of the magazine at the time, when the magazine was shipped to Kutaraja, Aceh (now Banda Aceh), readers would wait at the train station to buy and read the next instalment as soon as possible. Hamka also received fan mail, in which readers described the book as reflecting their own lives. However, conservative Muslims denounced the book, arguing that an Islamic scholar should not write romances. After this generally favourable feedback, Hamka decided to publish it with a private publisher owned by his friend M. Syarkawi; by using a private publisher he avoided the