Who is Habib Noh Al-Habshi?
Have you ever driven on the end of the East Coast Parkway (ECP) highway bridge at Tanjong Pagar towards Changi Airport and noticed a curve? Amidst the tall buildings in the financial district, a green and gold tomb (maqam) is clearly visible from the highway. In it lies Habib Noh Al-Habsyi, a revered Muslim saint who passed away on 27 July 1866.
Aerial photo of the curve in the highway to accommodate Habib Noh’s tomb. (Photo Credit)
Habib Noh was born in 1788 on a ship en route to Penang from Palembang, Sumatra. He came to Singapore just after Sir Stamford Raffles did in 1819 when he was 31 years old, and lived and died in Singapore. This makes him a pioneer in Singapore’s history, and his influence has extended to this day.
Every year, during what Muslims call the ‘haul’ or a death anniversary, thousands of visitors come to Maqam Habib Noh. These visitors are not limited to just Singaporean Muslims, but Muslims and non-Muslims from Singapore and beyond. Tents need to be set up to accommodate the number of scholars and visitors who congregate every year as the mosque next to his tomb (Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque) can only hold 900 people at a time.
Maqam Habib Noh & Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh in 2016, prior to upgrade and expansion of mosque (Photo Credit)
Habib Noh’s Life
During his lifetime, Habib Noh was known for his compassion and generosity to everyone regardless of their background or religious faith, especially to children and orphans. He gave regular talks and advice to the community, even travelling around Malaya to do so. People considered him a very spiritual and pious man and would bring their newborns to him so he could bless them in a ceremony called the tahnik. The tahnik is an established practice in the Islamic religious tradition where something sweet, usually a tiny bit of juice from a piece of date, is given to a newborn baby, and supplications are made. Even though Habib Noh has passed on, people still bring their newborn babies to the Maqam for blessings. During Prophet Muhammad’s time, babies were brought to him for the same ceremony. Habib Noh is a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and he emulates him not just in the religious rituals but also in his sublime character and dealings with people around him.
Habib Noh was known to enjoy Chinese operas, often getting front row seats to these shows. Even though he did not understand the language, he said he received insights from these performances!
As mentioned earlier, Habib Noh’s piety was well-known and he would stay up all night praying till dawn. He was also a frequent visitor to the graves and would pray for the dead. He had several miracles that were spoken of by the people who experienced them or knew about it during his time. He was known to be a healer especially of children and there were reports of sick children being healed when he passed his hands over them.
Another of his miracle was being at more than one place at a time. In a famous story, Habib Noh had told a departing pilgrim to Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia that they would meet there. When the pilgrim arrived, Habib Noh himself greeted him even though it was known he did not leave Singapore physically to travel to Mecca.
Habib Noh also had a knack for knowing things, or having premonitions. Once, a man had travelled to India to visit his family. He made a promise to God that if he were to make the journey and return safely to Singapore, he would present Habib Noh with a gift. When he arrived in Singapore, he was shocked to find Habib Noh already waiting for him.
Tomb of Habib Noh Al-Habsyi inside the mausoleum.
Habib Noh’s Passing
Habib Noh passed away at 78 years old in 1866. When news spread of his passing, many people from all walks of life, including Englishmen who converted to Islam through Habib Noh, and those from the neighbouring islands came to pay their last respects. It was said that all horse-drawn carriages in Singapore came to a halt from their daily activities, and chose to ferry old folks, women and children to the funeral for free. It was testament to how influential and well-loved he was by everyone in society, despite their racial and religious differences.
Remember the aerial picture of the curve in the ECP highway at the start of the article? Habib Noh was buried on Mount Palmer, where he used to go for deep reflection alone when alive. The East Coast Parkway expressway was meant to cut across the area in the 1980s. Legend has it that bulldozers on the brink of demolishing the maqam could not operate. Plans were then changed, and destruction of the maqam was averted. The foundations of the expressway, however, proved difficult to lay. It was reported that the construction company requested for prayers from the trustees of the maqam and water from the maqam to be poured over the foundation grounds before construction works proceeded smoothly thereafter.
Refurbishment of the Tomb
156 years after his passing, Habib Noh’s maqam continues to receive Muslim and non-Muslim visitors daily. His life of compassion, multi-racial and religious harmony, and generosity inspires anyone who hears his story.
Throughout the years, renovations and enhancements have been made to the tomb and the mosque to include elevators and ramps to increase accessibility for worshippers and visitors. The buildings’ key architectural features have remain untouched.
This historical site holds a special place in Singapore’s heritage and we hope it will be around for many decades to come. Please consider making a donation to the maqam. The funds will be used for:
- Restoration of the façade
- Installing appropriate waterproofing system
- Replacement of the dome
- Changeover to a new elevator
- Repairing the front and back chamber
- Upgrading of the front and side staircase
Ways to Contribute
1) Donate at our Mosque, Office or Maqam
You may come to Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh or Maqam Habib Noh. We have donation boxes for Project Infaq placed near the entrance of the mosque, and at the top between Maqam Habib Noh and Maqam Habib Abdurrahman for you to make donations.
Should you need a receipt for your donation, you may come to our office situated behind the ladies prayer hall. We are open from Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 6pm
2) PayNow or Bank Transfer
Make your donation via PayNow or PayLah to S03MQ0039G or via QR code below:
For bank transfer or internet banking, please transfer to the following:
- Bank Name: OCBC Bank
- Account Name: LPM HAJI MUHAMMAD SALLEH
- A/C No: 59100798-4001
Please indicate in the transaction reference for both PayNow and internet banking as: Project Infaq
3) For international donors
Please contact us via email: admin@hjmuhdsalleh.org.sg or call +65 6220 9257, we will provide the details of transfer.
-Article written by Ameera Aslam
www.desiringlightbook.com