Alkaff family
| Alkaff family الكاف | |
|---|---|
| Arab Singaporeans | |
 The 68th national monument, Masjid Alkaff Upper Serangoon was established by the Alkaff family in 1920. | |
| Ethnicity | Arab |
| Location | Singapore |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
The Alkaff family (Arabic: الكاف; transliterated as al-Kāf) were a family of Arab Singaporeans who served as merchants, traders and property developers in Singapore. They originated from Yemen and arrived in Singapore in 1852. Among the monuments named after them include the Alkaff Mansion at Telok Blangah and the Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu at Bedok.
History
[edit]The first recorded arrival of the Alkaff family was in the year 1852.[1][2][3] They hailed from the coast of Yemen.[1][2][3] One of the first members of the family to arrive on the shores of Singapore was Shaikh Alkaff, whom the family is mostly named after.[4] The Alkaffs, who were formerly spice traders, earned a reputation for their wealth which they spent on the construction of buildings such as houses, mansions and mosques.[1][3][5]
In 1909, the Alkaff Arcade at Collyer Quay was erected, with funding from the Alkaffs themselves.[1][5] In 1918, they built the Alkaff Mansion which is located at Telok Blangah.[3][5] Aside from commercial and residential buildings, the Alkaff family also funded the construction of mosques including the Masjid Alkaff Upper Serangoon, the 68th national monument of Singapore.[6] They also owned some land within the Bidadari Cemetery and built a mosque within the space owned by them for Muslim congregants at the cemetery.[7][8]
In terms of social relations, the Alkaffs had friendly relations with the American-born citizens living in Singapore.[4] They fraternized with other businessmen, including Rajabali Jumabhoy, a founding member of the Singapore Indian Association.[3] The Alkaffs also had relations with the Alsagoffs, which was another Singaporean Arab family.[3]
After World War II, the Alkaffs suffered from financial losses and hence were forced to sell off some of their properties, including the Alkaff Mansion.[9]
Members
[edit]Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Al-Kaff (c. 1890–1965), who was a Yemeni pacifist and philanthropist. In 1936, Al-Kaff assisted British colonial administrator Harold Ingrams in brokering a three-year truce between warring Qu'aiti and Kathiri tribes.[10]
Monuments
[edit]Alkaff Arcade
[edit]The Alkaff Arcade, built in 1909 by the Alkaffs, was a Moorish-style shopping center along Collyer Quay. Designed by Donald McLeod Craik, it featured onion domes and a Victorian facade, making it a waterfront landmark. Sold in 1973 and demolished in 1978, its site is now home to the modern Arcade complex.
Alkaff Mansion
[edit]Alkaff Mansion is a colonial-era bungalow in Singapore, built in 1918 and located at Telok Blangah. It had two stories and it was where the Alkaffs hosted events and parties. Abandoned after World War II, it was subsequently restored in the 1980s and has since served as a restaurant and event venue.
Alkaff Gardens
[edit]The Alkaff Gardens were established in the 1930s as a Japanese garden and served as a tourist attraction as well.[11] It was demolished in 1964 in order to build more schools to make educational facilities more accessible for children islandwide.[12][13] However, the residential area west of the former park site has been named after the Alkaffs.[14]
Masjid Alkaff Upper Serangoon
[edit]Masjid Alkaff Upper Serangoon was established in 1920 but ultimately completed in 1932.[15][16][17] The construction of the mosque was funded by the Alkaffs, while the mosque itself was designed by notable architecture firm, Swan & MacLaren. The mosque was also gazetted as the 68th national monument of Singapore in 2014[18][19] before winning an award for its architecture in 2015.[20]
Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu
[edit]
Similarly named to the mosque at Serangoon, Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu is located in Bedok. It was built from a waqf endowment by the Alkaff family. However, the current mosque is a 1990s structure and is not the original mosque, which was located a kilometer away from the present-day structure. The mosque is also adjacent to the Bedok North MRT station.
Masjid Bidadari
[edit]Masjid Bidadari, or the Bidadari Mosque, was built in 1932 with funding from a member of the Alkaffs.[7][8] The mosque served congregants and worshippers at the Bidadari Cemetery. In 2007, the mosque was demolished during the exhumation and relocation of Bidadari Cemetery in order to establish the Bidadari residential estate.[7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Venkat, Naveen (2018-08-10). "The OG Crazy Rich Asians Of Singapore Came From The Arab Community". MS News - Independent News For Singaporeans. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
- ^ a b L. Peet, George (1985). Rickshaw Reporter. Singapore: Eastern Universities Press.
- ^ a b c d e f "When Alkaff House was a household word". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2024-09-01. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
- ^ a b S. Samuel, Dhoraisingam. "The Alkaff Mansion".
- ^ a b c Betty L. Khoo (9 June 1972), "The Arabs’ Former Splendour", New Nation.
- ^ "The Alkaff Mosque; Malayan SAT Post". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
- ^ a b c "New Mosque". The Straits Times. 27 June 1932. p. 6.
- ^ a b c "Shame to demolish old Bidadari Mosque". The Straits Times. 8 May 2007. p. 36.
- ^ Seow, Renee. "Alkaff Mansion". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
- ^ Ducker, John (August 2003). "In Memoriam: Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh Al-Kaff KBE". The British-Yemeni Society. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023.
- ^ "A Painful Surprise". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
- ^ "Vanishing parkland at Alkaff 'Gardens'". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
- ^ "When trees must make way for new schools". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
- ^ Lee, Min Kok (2016-02-24). "First BTO of 2016: Alkaff Oasis in Bidadari features slew of green initiatives". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
- ^ "Alkaff Upper Serangoon Mosque". www.roots.gov.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ "National Monuments Of Singapore: Alkaff Upper Serangoon Mosque". Wonderwall. Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ "Alkaff Upper Serangoon Mosque | learnislam". Retrieved 2025-02-18.
- ^ "Speech by Minister Lawrence Wong at the Architectural Heritage Awards". www.mnd.gov.sg. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
- ^ "Four projects recognised at Architectural Heritage Awards". TODAY. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
- ^ "Alkaff Mosque Upper Serangoon - URA Architectural Heritage Award 2015". Shing Design Atelier. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2025-02-23.