Teuku Nyak Arif is a descendant of nobility. His father was Commander Sagi XXV Mukim. He attended pamong praja education in Bukittinggi and Serang. After the end of the Aceh War, the Dutch tried to cooperate with local leaders, including the commander of the yeast, among others, to provide opportunities for schooling for their children. He was also the first Aceh Resident / governor of the period 1945-1946. During the struggle for Indonesian independence, when the Volksraad (parliament) was formed, Teuku Nyak Arif was elected as the first representative of Aceh.
At that time the Dutch knew that T Nyak Arif had tasted Western education and he was appointed to represent the people of Aceh in the Volksraad. However but Teuku Nyak Arif is critical of the Netherlands. As a result, Nyak Arif is not re-elected. During the Japanese occupation, apart from being a member of Aceh Syu Sangikai (Aceh People's Council), Nyak Arief is also believed to be a member of Sumatera Cuo Sangi in (Sumatran People's Council). However, Nyak Arief secretly does underground movement against Japan.
T Nyak Arif was born on 17 July 1899 in Ulèë Lheue, Banda Aceh, the Netherlands Indies (at that time Indonesia was still Belanda). He also has a wife named Cut Nyak Jauhari and also in the gift of 3 children namely Ir Teuku Ubit Azhari, Prof. H Teuku Syamsul Bahri, SH and Cut Arifah Nasri.
After Indonesian independence, Teuku Nyak Arif was appointed as the Aceh Resident in October 1945. At that time, the Japanese army still survived in Aceh and refused to surrender its weapons to the people of Aceh. War broke out between Aceh fighters against Japan, known as the Krueng Panjo / Bireun incident. The Dutch who wish to dominate Indonesia take advantage of the situation. As a result, after facing Japan, the fighters were again fighting against the Dutch.
T Nyak Arif got the title of direct heroism from the president on November 9, 1974 with the Presidential Decree no. 071 / TK / 1974. Unfortunately, at the same time arises the conflict between the clergy and the Arif government officials (the ulebalang). The scholars assumed that the ulebalangs formed cooperation with the invaders. As a result, a war broke out known as Cumbok War in the Pidie area and extended to other areas. To avoid bloodshed between her compatriots, Teuku Nyak Arif as the resident voluntarily allowed herself to be captured by the Mujahidin Laskar and the people's resistance army (TPR).
Teuku Nyak Arief was then taken to Takengon but not how long, on May 4, 1946, Teuku Nyak Arif died and was congregated in Lamreung Village, Aceh Besar.
The leaders and the people of Aceh also gave awards to him in the form of naming the road Teuku Nyak Arif is the road from the entrance gate of Universitas syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh City to Simpang Lampriet street, Banda Aceh City. He is a devout Muslim and also has a name called Max.
