Arab Singaporeans

Last updated
Arab Singaporeans
Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Al-Kaff.jpg
Total population
8,200 (2015)
Languages
English, Malay, some Arabic language speakers.
Religion
Predominantly Sunni Islam, following the Shafi'i madhab (school of thought)
Related ethnic groups
Hadhrami people, Arab Indonesians, Arab Malaysians, Arab diaspora, Malay Singaporeans

The majority of the Arabs in Singapore are Hadharem and traced their ancestry to the southern Arabian Peninsula in Hadramaut, Yemen. The valley region was part of a confederacy once ruled by the Queen of Sheba. Hadramaut was mentioned in The Old Testament (Hazra Mavet). Its fertile areas, suitable for cultivation, had beguiled ancient Romans to call it, and all South Arabia in general, Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia).

Contents

The history of migration from Hadramaut, following the monsoons of the Indian Ocean, forced the Hadhramis to resettle in various parts of the world: Hyderabad, India (before 1947), Dar-es-Salaam and East Africa as well as Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies.

The Hadhrami population is made up of three distinct social strata: The Gabails, a confederation of clans forming the Al Kathiri tribe, descent from blue blood, including the Bin Talibs, Bin Abdats, Bajrais, and Harharahs. The honorific "Sheikh" (also spelled “Shaikh”) and "Sheikhah" (also spelled "Shaykhah" and "Shaikha") (for men and women respectively) often precede their names.

The Al Kathiri Sultanate had dominion over the southern region of the Arabian Peninsula. The tribes traced their roots to the ancient Banu Hamdan tribes, which reside in the Gulf Arab regions, East African countries, and in the Arab-speaking provinces of Iran such as Khuzestan.

The Confederal Harharah Sultanate reigned over the State of Upper Yafa. The Sultanate had formed a military alliance with the British Aden Protectorate and the Protectorate of South Arabia. Its capital, Mahjaba, was located about 50 km northeast of Habilayn.

The Ba'Alawi sada, who claimed to be the descendants of Muhammad, are known by their singular honorific "Syed" for men and “Sharifah” for women.

The Mashaikhs are commoners whose family names (surnames) often begin with "Ba-" (for example Bafana, Bamadhaj, Bagharib, Bahashwan). However, a 'Ba' at the beginning of a surname may not necessarily denote a commoner as some Gabail tribes have Ba in their surnames.

Al Kathiri stamps.jpg

History

Hadhrami migration

The early Arab settlers came to Singapore with wealth made in Indonesia. Being already familiar with Malay customs, they were accepted by the Malays living there. In 1824, the population of Singapore was 10,683. Out of this total, there were only 15 Arabs. In 1829, there were 34 Arabs with only 3 Arab women among them. Their population increased as follows:

Year187118811891190119111921
Total Arab Population in Singapore4658068069191,2261,286
Population of Arabs compared to the population of Malays in Singapore:
Year19311947195719701980
Total Population of Singapore557,754938,1441,444,9292,074,5072,413,945
Percentage of Malay Population37,373 (6.70%)70,331 (7.50%)135,662 (9.38%)268,175 (12.93%)351,508 (14.56%)
Percentage of Arab Population1,939 (0.35%)2,588 (0.28%)3,471 (0.24%)2,186 (0.11%)2,491 (0.10%)

(Source: Lim Lu Sia, 1987:32)

The census for 1970s and 1980s is not believed to reflect the actual number of Arabs in Singapore. This is because a number of Arabs have been officially registered as “Malay”. After Singapore became an independent country in 1965, the ethnic Malays enjoyed educational benefits granted by the state. Some Arab families then listed the ethnicity of their children to "Malay" to receive these benefits. Because of intermarriage between Malay or Indian Muslim men and Arab women, some Malays and Indians have Arab ancestry. People of Arab descent matrilineally are not officially listed as Arabs as a person's race in Singapore, until 2010, was determined by his father's race.

Contribution to Singapore

The position and contribution of the Arabs to Singapore can be seen when a member of the Aljuneid clan was appointed as a member of the mostly European-dominated Chamber of Commerce in 1837. Two members of the Alsagoff clan, Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed Alsagoff and Syed Mohammed bin Syed Omar Alsagoff, served as Municipal Commissioners in 1872–1898 and 1928–1933 respectively.

The Arabs formed their own association in 1946 which still exists today. The objectives then were to promote and enhance Islam as well as the use of Arabic language. By the time the Arab Association Singapore was founded, the Arab traders were the wealthiest community in Singapore. Syed Ali Mohammed Al-Juneid, for instance, donated a large plot of land near Victoria and Arab Streets to Tan Tock Seng’s hospital. He also built public wells across town to provide free water, at a time when none was being supplied by the municipality. The Al-Juneid family – after whom Aljunied Road is named – made large donations to the construction of the Town Hall (now the Victoria Memorial and Concert Hall), while paying for the building of public bridges. The Al-Kaff footbridge on the Singapore River takes its name from another prominent Arab family, which built the first Japanese Gardens opened to the public before World War II (where the Sennett private housing estate is today).

The Arabs were also well known for their contribution to wakaf lands (Arab's land holdings charitable trust). The wakaf land of Syed Mohamed Alsagoff was formed in 1904 to help support efforts for orphanages, mosques and Islamic schools. Today, the Aljuneid Islamic School and the Alsagoff Arab School stand as a legacy of the contribution of the Arab community towards Islamic education in Singapore. Currently, almost the entire area Singapore central business district were once the wakaf lands which the government acquired in the 1970s with only the minimal compensation paid to the owners. [1]

Arab role in trade

The Arabs had played a dominant role in trade in South East Asia since the fifteenth century. When Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819, he attracted the Arab traders to his new city. By 1824, there were 15 Arabs out of a population of 10,683 and Raffles anticipated a rapid growth in Arab immigration. His blueprint for Singapore included plans for an Arab district. In his instructions to a Singapore housing committee in 1822, he stated:

"The Arab population would require every consideration. No situation will be more appropriate for them than the vicinity of the Sultan’s residence..." (Buckley 1902:85)

The first Arabs to arrive in Singapore in 1819 were two wealthy merchants from Palembang, Sumatra. Their numbers gradually increased and by 1846, there were five important Arab merchant houses. The al-Junied [al-junaid] الجنيد family in Singapore grew to be a rich and influential as did the al-Kaffs [al-kāf] الكاف and the al-Saggoffs [al-saqqāf] السقاف. There are streets and even a town council named after them.

The al-Saggoffs were spice traders and became influential by marrying into a royal family from the Celebes. They acquired many properties, like the other Arab families, including the "Perseverance Estate" where they grew lemon grass. The estate is now considered to be the heart of the Muslim community in Singapore. 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 1965. The al-Kaff family arrived here in 1852. All these families lived in mansions of considerable opulence like the al-Kaff house. Today, the building is a restaurant called Alkaff Mansion as a gesture to preserve the name. [2] Other than that, it has no other Hadhrami connection, either in architectural style or ownership.

Arab business domination

The Arabs dominated the businesses in Singapore, principally in oil and trade, during the British colonial period. Arabic culture had a strong influence on the local Malay culture through its religion. This is seen in the Middle Eastern-style architecture of the mosques in Kampong Glam.

In the heyday of Arab prosperity, the Arabs in Singapore maintained close links with Hadhramaut and large amounts of money were sent back to the homeland. The rich built themselves splendid houses, like the Alkaff house. They also sent their sons back to Hadhramaut for periods of time to enhance their identity as Hadhramis. This custom maintained their language and Hadhrami culture. It even resulted in some Malay being incorporated in the spoken Arabic of Hadhramaut (see Hadhrami Arabic). Hadhramaut was regarded as a cultural training ground of the young Arab men and the time spent there was the final preparation for manhood. Upon their return to Singapore, these young men would take their place in the family businesses.

After World War II

During World War II it became impossible for the Hadhramis in Singapore to travel abroad but they continued to do so thereafter. However, after the Rent Control Act came into effect, Hadrami incomes were frozen and it became clear that the wakaf (trust) incomes would not be sufficient for the next generation. It was then that the Arab families took a keener interest in the education of their children. The richer families sent their children to London to study and the children of others spent time working in Aden rather than just going to Hadhramaut. The cultural and linguistic links were still maintained. However, the family incomes continued to decline.

The 1960s

In the 1960s, there came a major change. The independence of South Yemen with a communist government in power put an end to the Singapore Hadramis returning home. At the same time, the economic developments in Singapore made the importance of the English language and of obtaining an education even more essential. The new Arab generation had grown up without speaking Arabic and had lost both its identity and its affiliation with Hadhramaut. Some families, in the oil boom of the 1970s, tried sending their sons to Saudi Arabia or Arab States of the Persian Gulf, but it was not a success. The young men did not like living in Saudi Arabia as their prospects in Singapore were better than on the Arabian Peninsula.

Present day

Singaporean Arabs census today

Singapore is a cosmopolitan city state made up of various races. The 1990 census shows the Chinese as the majority with around 74% of the population, the indigenous Malays with 14%, the Indians at less than 10% and the balance placed in the category of "others". This "others" category includes, but is not limited to, Filipinos, Eurasians, Vietnamese and Arabs. The census shows Arabs to be around 7,000, but unofficial estimates place the actual number of Arabs at around 10,000.

Arabs and wakaf (waqf وقف ) properties today

The Singapore Hadramis were major landlords, the large families having substantial properties held in trust, which ranged from private family trusts to public charitable trusts. Most of the land in today’s central business district of Singapore was once owned by Hadrami wakafs. These wakafs, bearing the family names, whether private or charitable, gave considerable prestige to the Arab community among the Muslims in Singapore. In recent years, four factors have affected the wakafs and undermined the status of the community. The first three factors have been a direct result of government policies.

Notable Arab Singaporeans

Alkaff Mansion Singapore. AlkaffMansion.jpg
Alkaff Mansion Singapore.

This section contains a list of notable Arab Singaporeans, people with Arab ancestry born or naturalized in Singapore.

Business

Entertainment

From a Producer/Presenter, Shaik helmed Ria 897 as Senior Programme Director (1999-2006) and moved on to be Senior Business Development Manager for Warna/Ria/Oli before he relinquished his appointment to be back as DJ in Warna 942.

Politics

Armed Forces

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadhramaut</span> Region in southern Arabia

Hadhramaut is a geographic region in south Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, the Dhofar Governorate in south-western Oman and the Najran Province in southern Saudi Arabia. The name is of ancient origin, and is retained in the name of the Yemeni Governorate of Hadhramaut. The people of Hadhramaut are called Hadharem. They formerly spoke Hadramautic, an old South Arabian language, but they now predominantly speak Hadhrami Arabic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seiyun</span> City in Yemen

Seiyun is a city in the region and Governorate of Hadhramaut in Yemen. It is located in the middle of the Hadhramaut Valley, about 360 km (220 mi) from Mukalla, the capital of Mukalla District and the largest city in the area, via western route. It is 12 km (7.5 mi) from Shibam and 35 km (22 mi) from Tarim, the other large cities in the valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukalla</span> City Federal Capital in Hadramaut, Yemen

Mukalla is a seaport and the capital city of Yemen's largest governorate, Hadhramaut. The city is in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the Gulf of Aden, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, about 480 kilometres east of Aden. It is the most important port city in the Hadhramaut region. It is also the sixth-largest city in Yemen, with a population of approximately 595,000 as of 2023. The city is served by the nearby Riyan International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathiri</span> 1395–1967 sultanate in modern day Yemen

Kathiri, officially the Hadhrami Kathiri Dynasty in Seiyun or the Sultanate of Seiyun, was a sultanate in the Hadhramaut region of the southern Arabian Peninsula, in what is now part of Yemen and the Dhofari region of Oman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadhrami Arabic</span> Variety of the Arabic language

Hadhrami Arabic, or Ḥaḍrami Arabic (ḤA), is a variety of Arabic spoken by the Hadharem (Ḥaḍārem) living in the region of Hadhramaut in southeastern Yemen, with a small number of speakers found in Kenya.

The history of the Jews in Hadramaut stretches back to ancient times. The Hadhrami Jews were a subset of the Yemeni Jews.

Ahmad al-Muhajir also known as al-Imām Aḥmad ibn ʿĪsā was an Imam Mujtahid and the progenitor of Ba 'Alawi sada group which is instrumental in spreading Islam to India, Southeast Asia and Africa. He was the son of 'Isa the son Muhammad the son of Ali al-Uraydi who was the fourth son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, a fifth generation descendant of Ali and Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad. He was a known acquaintance of Bishr al-Ḥāfī.

Al-Segaf'/As-Segaf'/Assegaf'/Assegaff'/Al-Saqqāf were Arab Singaporean spice traders of Hadhrami origin, who became influential by marrying into a royal family from the Celebes. 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 Abu Bakar bin Taha Alsagoff was a well-known Islamic educator in Singapore.

Syed Mohamed bin Syed Ahmad Alsagoff was an Hadhrami Muslim born in Singapore who was known as Nong Chik.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadharem</span> Ethnic division of Arabs

The Hadharem or the Hadhrami are an Arab sub-ethnic group indigenous to the Hadhramaut region in South Arabia, which is part of modern-day eastern Yemen and their own dialect, Hadhrami Arabic. Among the two million inhabitants of Hadhramaut, there are about 1,300 distinct tribes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arab Indonesians</span> Ethnic group

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghalib II al-Qu'aiti</span> Sultan of Shihr and Mukalla

Sultan Ghalib II bin Awadh al-Qu'aiti al-Hadhrami is the former sultan of the Qu'aiti State or Qu'aiti Sultanate, in modern Yemen, and the current head of the Al-Qu'aiti household. The once ruling Qu’aiti dynasty of Hadramaut was Yafa’i in origin. He reigned for less than a year, from 10 October 1966 until the monarchy was ousted by communists on 17 September 1967.

Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Sagoff was an Arab businessman in the spice trade, and a philanthropist who settled in Singapore. He was a descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

The Al Kathiri also known as Alkaseri is a royal family that has had strong influence in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. It is one of the largest tribes of Banu Hamdan Hydramout in eastern Yemen and Oman, with populations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and East African countries such as Somalia and Kenya and Tanzania as well as Iran mainly concentrated in the most Arabic populated province of the country Khuzestan. However, there are two tribes of Al Kathiri one is Banu Hamdan and one is Banu Lam tribe, which is descendant from Tayy tribe, is located in Najd - northern Saudi Arabia - Kuwait - Iraq, and branched to Al Kathran (الكثران), Al Mughira (المغيرة), Al Fadhuol (الفظول) and Al Dhafeer (الظفير).

The Hadhrami League is a movement founded in 2003 under the name of the National Organization for the Liberation of Hadhramaut in Hadhramaut Governorate by Abdullah Saeed Bahaj and called for the self-determination of Hadhramaut residents at home and abroad and the legitimate rights of the People of Hadrami under international laws, foremost of which is the right to Self-determination and the Restoration of its independent State. Hadhramaut was an semi-autonomous British protectorate occupied by South Yemen first in 1967 and again in 1990. After unification between the two Northern and Southern States. The Hadhrami League considers it a "Yemeni occupation".

Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff was an Hadhrami Muslim born in Singapore and grandson of Nong Chik.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarim, Yemen</span> Town in Hadhramaut, Yemen

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Al-Kaff</span> Yemeni philanthropist (c. 1890–1965)

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References

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