Kubur Kassim is a closed cemetery located in Siglap, Singapore. The cemetery was established in 1921 and named after Ahna Mohamed Kassim, its main benefactor. It contains the tombs of affluent Muslim figures, saints and mystics, as well as keramat shrines. The land is owned by the Singapore Land Authority and the cemetery has been earmarked for redevelopments since 1987.
In 1921, an Indian Muslim trader named Ahna Mohamed Kassim purchased a plot of land at Siglap and donated it as wakaf to serve as a burial ground for the Muslim community in the area.[1][2][3] Kassim died in 1935 and management of the cemetery was transferred to his heirs.[4] Burials ceased in 1973.[5] The Singapore Land Authority later purchased the land of the cemetery and earmarked it for future redevelopments in 1987.[4] However, the full process took two years to complete and by 1989 the cemetery had been acquired completely as state land.[1]
In 1997, most burials in Kubur Kassim were recorded on microfilm and saved into government archives.[6] The cemetery was described as a popular destination for the Bugis community in Singapore by the early 21st century, especially those who wished to rediscover the roots of their ancestry.[7]
Incidents
In 2019, a woman named Fauziah attempted to gain ownership of the land, claiming that her forefathers contemporary to Ahna Mohamed Kassim were the owners of the land and that the land grant signatures were invalid. Her case was immediately rejected from entering court and the land was not given to her.[8]
Internments
There are at least three thousand graves in the cemetery.[9] Amongst them are the graves of:
Khwaja Habibullah Shah (d. 1971) – a Hanafi Maturidi scholar and Sufi mystic of the Chisthi and Suhrawardi orders.[10]
Sheikh Ali – a Sufi mystic with the title Habib.[11]
Significant sites
Mausoleum of the Moonshi Family
The mausoleum of Hafeezudin Moonshi in the cemeteryThe grave of Hafeezudin Moonshi is the largest one, in the centre. The other two graves flanking it are of family members.
Hafeezudin Sirajuddin Moonshi and two other members of his family are buried in a small brick mausoleum.[9] The mausoleum was repainted blue and gold in 2022 while green cloths were wrapped around the tombstones.[1]
Khanqah Mosque
The main facade and entrance of the Khanqah Mosque.The tomb of Khwaja Habibullah Shah that is annexed to the mosque building
The Khanqah Mosque is a small surau located in the centre of the cemetery.[1][9] It is occupied by Sufi tariqat, such as the Qadiri and Chisthi orders.[9][12] The mosque is also attached to the tomb of Khwaja Habibullah Shah, who was buried there in 1971.[10] Despite being labelled as a mosque, the Khanqah Mosque is not an officially registered mosque in the database of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura.
Keramat ground
The grave of Habib AliThe second keramat shrine, formerly worshipped by Chinese devoteesThe third and final keramat
At the end of the cemetery is situated a cemented ground consisting of three keramat shrines. The first keramat consists of the graves of Habib Ali bin Abi Bakr and his wife.[11] The second keramat consists of two marble tiled graves belonging to unknown personalities; these graves were once revered by Chinese devotees. The third keramat is a lone grave with a cement platform around it, also with the identity of the entombed unknown.[1]
Tomb of Daeng Fatimah
The tomb of Daeng Fatimah, a prominent Bugis mystic and shaman, is located within the western part of the cemetery.[13] The mausoleum over the tomb does not exist anymore and what remains of it is the grave and a platform of bricks from the former structure.[1] The mausoleum was formerly used as a shelter for homeless people.[14]
In mythology
The graves in the sloped parts of the cemetery are believed to belong to the mythical orang bunian.
Local legends claim that some of the graves in the cemetery belong to the orang bunian, a mythological race of cryptidsin Malay folklore.[15][16] They are described as being similar to elves, but also with the ability to resemble real people and are dressed in a traditional Southeast Asian fashion.[17] The cemetery gained a reputation as a haunted place amongst locals, especially due to the solar eclipse that had happened in the Siglap village in the early 1800s.[16] A hoax was made in 2020 claiming that the National Environment Agency (NEA) put up a sign warning people to "beware of ghosts" which was immediately denied by the NEA when the post went viral on social media.[18]
Gallery
A closeup shot of the top of the gatehouse of the cemetery.
Some graves in the cemetery.
Graves in the centre of the cemetery, the old mosque in the background.
↑"Penutupan 7 tanah kuburan". Berita Harian. 1 September 1973. p.5. Ketujuh buah tanah perkuburan Islam yang terlibat dalam tindakan itu ialah: Tanah Perkuburan Sekijang Pelapah; Pasir Panjang; Kubur Wakaff Teban; Kubur Kassim (Siglap); Kubur Wakaff Siglap Darat; Kubur di Masjid Hajjah Fatimah dan Tanah Perkuburan Ulu Pandan[The seven Muslim cemeteries involved in the action are: Sekijang Pelapah Cemetery; Pasir Panjang; Teban Wakaff Cemetery; Kassim Cemetery (Siglap); Siglap Darat Wakaff Cemetery; Graves at Hajjah Fatimah Mosque and Ulu Pandan Cemetery]
↑"声称被征收土地属祖先遗产 女子官司未开打诉讼就被撤销"[The lawsuit filed by a woman claiming that the expropriated land belonged to her ancestors was dismissed before it even began.]. Lianhe Zaobao. 30 December 2019. p.4.
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