Alsagoff family (original) (raw)

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A family of Arab Singaporeans of Hadhrami origin

Al-Segaf'/As-Segaf'/Assegaf'/Assegaff'/Assagaf'/Al-Saqqāf' (Arabic: ٱلسَّقَّاف, romanized: as-Saqqāf; transliterated elsewhere al-Saqqaf, al-Saggaf or al-Saqqāf) were Arab Singaporean spice traders of Hadhrami origin, who became influential by marrying into a royal family from the Celebes (now Sulawesi, Indonesia). They acquired many properties, like the other Arab families, including the "Perseverance Estate" in Geylang where they grew lemon grass. The estate is now considered to be the heart of the Muslim community in Singapore, with the Alsagoff family still retaining its prominence there. They originally belong to the Ba'Alawi clan of the Bani Hashim in Hadhramaut. Hence, they are a Ba'Alawi Sayyid family. Then-master-chef of the family, Mr. Abdul-Rahman established a restaurant named "Islamic" in 1921 in Singapore, which is functioning till date. As well as being successful merchants and land owners, the family became involved in civic affairs. The family members, at times, held civic office from the 1870s, until Singaporean independence in 1965.

Syed Abdul Rahman Alsagoff came to Singapore with his son Ahmad. Their family would later start the Arabic School in Jalan Sultan, in 1912. As a Sayyid, Abdur-Rahman was a descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.[1] A large section of Geylang, formally "Geylang Serai," formed part of the 'Perseverance Estate' which belonged to Syed Ahmad. The Alsagoffs had also served as Municipal commissioners of Singapore, from 1872 to 1898, and 1928 to 1933.

Syed Ahmad ibn Abdur-Rahman

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The Mosque of Sayyid Ahmad, his wife and parents-in-law, in Singapore, 2006

Sayyid Aḥmad ibn ʿAbdur-Raḥmān As-Saqqāf (Arabic: ٱلسَّيِّد أَحْمَد ٱبْن عَبْد الرَّحْمٰن ٱلسَّقَّاف), like his father, was a merchant.[2][3][4][5] In 1848, he established the Alsagoff Company.[6]

Ahmad married Raja Siti, daughter of Hajjah Fatimah, who was a local aristocrat, thus strengthening his family's presence in Singapore. Syed Mohamed bin Syed Ahmad was their son.[2][7] The family, whose name became 'Alsagoff', would get involved in a number of philanthropic activities, such as financing the Masjid of Hajjah Fatimah on Beach Road in Kampong Glam. The graves of Sayyid Ahmad, and his wife and mother-in-law, are in the premises of this Masjid.[2][3][4][5]

Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed

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Syed Mohammad (Arabic: ٱلسَّيِّد مُحَمَّد بِن أَحْمَد ٱلسَّقَّاف _Saiyid Muḥammad bin Aḥmad As-Saqqāf) was the most prominent member of the family. He received two land concessions from Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor; one in Kukup, where he could print his own currency, and the other in Kampong Nong Chik. He was also involved in Singapore's civil service undertaking several diplomatic posts. The first post he held was the Ottoman consul,[7] where the Osmanieh Order inducted him into their ranks after he became consul.[8] Syed Mohamed was also asked to conduct diplomacy on behalf of the Sultanate of Aceh during its conflict with the Dutch.[9]

He owned a large estate where his nephew, Syed Omar Alsagoff, lived in a palatial bungalow and entertained Europeans lavishly, at what is now Kampong Bukit Tunggal, near Chancery Lane. He served dinners on gold plated plates, forks and knives. There was also a lake there which was one of the attractions of old Singapore and canoes could be seen afloat in it. After his death, his sons developed the Bukit Tunggal Estate in the 1920s. The Alsagoffs had additional property in Beach Road and also the former owners of the Raffles Hotel. The tomb (or _Kerama_t) of the holy man Habib Nuh bin Muhammad Al-Habshi built by Syed Mohamed in about 1890 is still maintained by the Alsagoff family.

Jeddah Incident and Lord Jim

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Outside Singapore among the historical events associated with the family was the S.S. Jeddah incident when the captain and crew abandoned the ship S.S. Jeddah, with hundreds of religious pilgrims on board, due to ship damage. After the captain and crew arrived in Aden, the Jeddah was brought in by a second ship which found it and hauled it back saving the passengers. This incident is believed to be the inspiration for the Joseph Conrad novel Lord Jim.

  1. ^ Illustrated Magazine (1992). Singapore: Days of Old. Illustrated Magazine. pp. 56–. ISBN 9789627093190.
  2. ^ a b c d e Singapore's 100 Historic Places. National Heritage Board and Archipelago Press. 2002. p. 30. ISBN 981-4068-23-3.
  3. ^ a b Azrah, Edian (2003). "Hajjah Fatimah". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Archived from the original on 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  4. ^ a b "Masjid Hajjah Fatimah". National Heritage Board. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Hajjah Fatimah Mosque". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  6. ^ Corfield, Justin (2010). Historical Dictionary of Singapore. Scarecrow Press. pp. 20–. ISBN 9780810873872.
  7. ^ a b Arndt Graf; Susanne Schroter; Edwin Wieringa (2010). Aceh: History, Politics and Culture. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-981-4279-12-3. (PDF version).
  8. ^ Ulrike Freitag; William G. Clarence-Smith (1997). Hadhrami Traders, Scholars and Statesmen in the Indian Ocean, 1750s to 1960s. BRILL. pp. 190–. ISBN 90-04-10771-1.
  9. ^ Arndt Graf; Susanne Schroter; Edwin Wieringa (2010). Aceh: History, Politics and Culture. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 35–. ISBN 978-981-4279-12-3.
  10. ^ "ALSAGOFF TO BE CONSUL". The Straits Times. 22 November 1950. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Portrait of Mr. Syed Ibrahim Omar Alsagoff, Consul- General of Saudi Arabia to Singapore". eResources - National Library Board Singapore.
  12. ^ Leif O. Manger (2010). The Hadrami Diaspora: Community-building on the Indian Ocean Rim. Berghahn Books. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-1-84545-742-6.
  13. ^ "Dato Syed Ibrahim bin Omar Alsagoff". eResources - National Library Board Singapore. Singapore Infopedia. 2009.