House of al-Sagoff

The House of al-Sagoff (Arabic: آل السقاف; also transliterated as al-Saqqaf or al-Saqqāf) is a Hadhrami Arab Sayyid family historically active in Singapore. Through intermarriage, the family formed social and economic connections with a royal family from the Celebes (now Sulawesi, Indonesia). They owned several properties, including the Perseverance Estate, where lemongrass was cultivated and community gatherings were held. Some members of the family have continued involvement in the area. The family traces its lineage to the Banu Hashim clan of the Bani Hashim in Hadhramaut, identifying them as a Ba'Alawi Sayyid family.

In 1921, then-chef of the family, Abdul Rahman established a restaurant named "Islamic" in Singapore, which marked its centenary in 2021 and is still operating.[1] The family were also active as merchants and landowners, and several members held civic positions from the 1870s, until Singaporean independence in 1965.

Notable members

Syed Abdur-Rahman

Syed Abdul Rahman Alsagoff came to Singapore with his son Ahmad. Their family would later start the Arabic School in Jalan Sultan, in 1912.[2] 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

Sayyid Aḥmad ibn ʿAbdur-Raḥmān As-Saqqāf (Arabic: ٱلسَّيِّد أَحْمَد ٱبْن عَبْد الرَّحْمٰن ٱلسَّقَّاف), like his father, was a merchant.[3][4][5][6] In 1848, he established the Alsagoff Company.[7]

Ahmad married Raja Siti, daughter of Hajjah Fatimah, who was a local merchant and philanthropist, thus consolidating family ties in Singapore. Syed Mohamed bin Syed Ahmad was their son.[3][8] The family, whose name became 'Alsagoff', were involved in 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.[3][4][5][6]

Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed

Syed Mohammad (Arabic: ٱلسَّيِّد مُحَمَّد بِن أَحْمَد ٱلسَّقَّاف Saiyid Muḥammad bin Aḥmad As-Saqqāf) was a senior member of the family active in business and civic roles. 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,[8] where the Osmanieh Order inducted him into their ranks after he became consul.[9] Syed Mohamed was also asked to conduct diplomacy on behalf of the Sultanate of Aceh during its conflict with the Dutch.[10]

He owned a large estate where his nephew, Syed Omar Alsagoff, lived in a residence at what is now Kampong Bukit Tunggal, near Chancery Lane, where he held events. There was also a lake there that was used for recreational boating. After his death, his sons developed the Bukit Tunggal Estate in the 1920s. The Alsagoffs also held property in Beach Road and were, at one time the owners of the Raffles Hotel. The tomb (or Keramat) of Habib Nuh bin Muhammad Al-Habshi, built by Syed Mohamed around 1890, is maintained by members of the Alsagoff family.

Other members

  • The Kingdom of Iraq's Honorary Consul was Syed Ibrahim bin Syed Omar Alsagoff.[11] The government of Saudi Arabia later tapped him as their ambassador,[12] becoming the Consul-General,[13] and later the Honorary Consul for Turkey and Tunisia.[14]
  • Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff was commander of the Malaysian armed forces in Singapore from 1963 to 1965.
  • ʿAli Redha, a politician.[3]
  • Khadijah ʿAbdullah, managing partner of an Egyptian magazine for women, and manager of the Raffles Hotel, in the 1960s.[3]
  • Faisal, co-founder of Horizon Education and Technologies Ltd.
  • Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Sagoff, a Malaysian Politician.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ishak (23 February 2021). "S'pore restaurant marks 100th year existence with 2,021 packs of free briyani for frontline workers & customers". Mothership. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  2. ^ Illustrated Magazine (1992). Singapore: Days of Old. Illustrated Magazine. pp. 56–. ISBN 9789627093190.
  3. ^ a b c d e Singapore's 100 Historic Places. National Heritage Board and Archipelago Press. 2002. p. 30. ISBN 981-4068-23-3.
  4. ^ a b Azrah, Edian (2003). "Hajjah Fatimah". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Archived from the original on 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  5. ^ a b "Masjid Hajjah Fatimah". National Heritage Board. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Hajjah Fatimah Mosque". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  7. ^ Corfield, Justin (2010). Historical Dictionary of Singapore. Scarecrow Press. pp. 20–. ISBN 9780810873872.
  8. ^ 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).
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "ALSAGOFF TO BE CONSUL". The Straits Times. 22 November 1950. p. 9.
  12. ^ "Portrait of Mr. Syed Ibrahim Omar Alsagoff, Consul- General of Saudi Arabia to Singapore". eResources - National Library Board Singapore.
  13. ^ Leif O. Manger (2010). The Hadrami Diaspora: Community-building on the Indian Ocean Rim. Berghahn Books. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-1-84545-742-6.
  14. ^ "Dato Syed Ibrahim bin Omar Alsagoff". eResources - National Library Board Singapore. Singapore Infopedia. 2009.
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