Syed Abdullah bin Haroon Aljunied

Syed Abdullah bin Haroon Aljunied (b. 1930–d. 9 July 2018, Singapore) was a Singaporean religious leader, businessman and community leader.¹ He made significant contributions to Singapore’s Muslim community and played a key role in preserving Arab culture in the country.²

Early Life and Family
Syed Abdullah was a descendant of one of the first Arab families to settle in Singapore after the arrival of Stamford Raffles. His family lineage traces back to Syed Mohammed Harun Aljunied and Syed Omar Ali Aljunied, who were among the earliest Arab settlers on the island.³ Syed Abdullah was the fifth-generation descendant of the renowned merchant and philanthropist, Syed Abdullah bin Omar Aljunied.⁴ His grandfather, Syed Abdul Rahman bin Junied Aljunied, founded the Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah in 1927.⁵

Community Leadership
Syed Abdullah founded Al-Wehdah Al-Arabiyah Bi Singhafura (The Arab Association Singapore), which he served as president from 1984 to 1997. Under his leadership, the association expanded its activities and influence, eventually establishing the Al-Wehda Scholarship to support education in the Muslim community. The association also began contributing to humanitarian missions worldwide, extending its impact beyond Singapore’s borders.⁶

As president of the Arab Association Singapore, Syed Abdullah helped create an education fund to support Singaporean Muslims pursuing religious studies and Arabic language particularly in Tarim, Hadhramaut, Yemen. By October 1997, the fund had raised $40,000 with Syed Abdullah being one of the donors.⁷

Syed Abdullah also supported local religious institutions with his philanthropy. Notably, he donated $150,000 to fund the rebuilding of the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka, one of Singapore’s oldest mosques.⁸

Religious Appointments
Syed Abdullah was a respected figure in Singapore’s Muslim community. He served in the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore; MUIS) for 21 years, from 1983 to 2004. During this long tenure, he contributed significantly to the development of Islamic affairs in Singapore.⁹

He was also a member of the Fatwa Committee from 1984 to 1995, where he played a crucial role in developing fatwas (Islamic legal rulings) that were relevant to both Islamic principles and the Singaporean context.¹⁰ His work in this area helped ensure that Islamic practices remained relevant and applicable in Singapore’s modern, multicultural society.¹¹

His contributions were particularly significant in the preservation of wakaf (religious endowment) properties, which was a key focus of both the Fatwa Committee and the MUIS Council during his tenure.¹²

In recognition of his public service and contributions to the community, Syed Abdullah was awarded the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) by the Singapore government in 1992.¹³

Business Leadership
Syed Abdullah was the chairman of the Aljunied Group of Companies, continuing his family’s legacy in business and commerce.¹⁴ He was one of the key figures in the establishment of Aljunied Brothers, a family business founded in 1966. Together with his father and brother, Junied Bin Haroon Aljunied, Aljunied Brothers sold a diverse range of products including textiles, batik, perfumes and agarwood.¹⁵

Author
Nur Fatin Afiqah Binte Halim

References
1. Asyraf Yunos, “Tokoh agama tempatan, Habib Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied meninggal dunia,” Berita Mediacorp, published 10 July 2018. (From NLB’s Web Archive)
2. Nurulkhasanah Agost, “7 pemimpin veteran & tokoh muda terima penghargaan berprestij Anugerah MUIS50,” Berita Mediacorp, published 6 October 2018. https://berita.mediacorp.sg/singapura/7-pemimpin-veteran-5-tokoh-muda-terima-penghargaan-berprestij-217666
3. National Library Singapore, Family Portrait of Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied, circa 1994, photograph, accessed 13 November 2024, https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/image-detail?cmsuuid=d063d0c5-4c92-4bd5-b2af-fe20142f72b3.
4. “Derma $150,000 untuk masjid,” Berita Harian, 5 June 2010, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
5. National Library Singapore, Family Portrait of Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied, circa 1994, photograph, accessed 13 November 2024.
6. Yunos, “Tokoh agama tempatan, Habib Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied meninggal dunia.”
7. “Dana kenangi jasa Syeikh Omar Alkhatib dibentuk,” Berita Harian, 4 October 1997, 24. (From NewspaperSG)
8. “Derma $150,000 untuk masjid.”
9. Yunos, “Tokoh agama tempatan, Habib Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied meninggal dunia.”
10. “Empat duduk dalam Jk Fatwa,” Berita Harian, 26 February 1984, 8. (From NewspaperSG)
11. Nurulkhasanah Agost, “Mufti Dr Fatris: Habib Syed Abdullah beri sumbangan besar kepada pemeliharaan harta wakaf,” Berita Mediacorp, published 11 July 2018. https://berita.mediacorp.sg/singapura/mufti-dr-fatris-habib-syed-abdullah-beri-sumbangan-besar-kepada-234821.
12. Nurulkhasanah Agost, “Mufti Dr Fatris: Habib Syed Abdullah beri sumbangan besar kepada pemeliharaan harta wakaf.”
13. Yunos, “Tokoh agama tempatan, Habib Syed Abdullah Haroon Aljunied meninggal dunia.”
14. “Halaman 2 Iklan Ruangan 1,” Berita Harian, 29 August 1993, 2.
15. “Minyak atar dan kayu gaharu jadikan Aljunied Brotehrs ‘semerbak harum’,” Berita Harian, 11 February 2015, 5. (From NewspaperSG)

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The information in this article is valid as of October 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit it here.