Some Minangkabau adat leaders argue that the is dangerous. By separating fact from fantasy, they claim, the document undermines traditional authority. For example, if a PDF proves that the story of Tuanku Rao killing 99 datuk is khayal (exaggerated), then the moral justification for the adat –Padri compromise collapses.

Biarlah tulisan mengangkat debu, dan bayangmu jadi pelita yang rawan. Antara fakta dan khayal kau berdiri, Tuanku Rao—manusia, tanda zaman.

Hamka wrote this work to challenge and correct what he viewed as historical inaccuracies and "fantasies" presented in Parlindungan's narrative regarding the (1803–1838) and the figure of Tuanku Rao.

Buku ini mengajarkan bahwa sejarah bukanlah karangan bebas, melainkan fakta yang didukung oleh bukti-bukti yang terverifikasi. Kesimpulan