Biography Syed Sharif Omar bin Ali Aljunied

Syed Sharif Omar bin Ali Aljunied was born in 1792, at Hadramaut, Yemen and passed away on 6 November 1852, Singapore, at the age of 60. He was a noted Arab spice trader and businessman, philanthropist and important leader of the early Arab community. He had a successful trading business and was also noted as one of the first religious leaders and one who was a generous contributer to charitable causes. He made social and socio-economic impact. He donated land for religious buildings such as St Andrew's Cathedral and the Masjid Kampong Melaka in Chinatown. He had commissioned the building of the mosque in 1820 for the Malay fishermen, Bugis merchants and Malaccan businessmen who traded with the Chinese in Chinatown. Another mosque in Bencoolen street is also attributed to him. After that, he contributed land for the Pauper's Hospital in 1844 which later would become Tan Tock Seng Hospital for which his nephew Syed Ali would also donate land between Victoria Street and Arab Street. The large plot of land between Victoria Street and Rochore Canal was originally an Arab-Muslim burial ground named after Syed Omar himself after he was buried there.When he died in 1852, he left behind five sons and several grandchildren. He was buried with his uncle Syed Mohammed at the Syed Omar Cemetery.