A Muslim tomb, preserved by a Hindu trader in Singapore

SINGAPORE (MNTV) – Tucked away at the unassuming Moonstone Lane, along the banks of the Kallang River in Singapore, lies a Muslim tomb, a nearly forgotten piece of the country’s history, reports MS News. 

Within a small annex built into the side of a warehouse lies the tomb of Syarifah Zainah Al‑Habsyi, a Muslim woman believed to have died in the 1930s.

The story of how the tomb came to be at its unusual location started some time after 1949.

Back then, a Hindu businessman named Bachoo Singh purchased the land at 49 Moonstone Lane for the purpose of building a warehouse.

In doing so, he discovered that the grave of Syarifah Zainah was already present on the land.

Instead of removing it, he built a new structure so that the grave was left undisturbed. 

The small, windowed red-roofed annex — which shielded the grave from the elements — became a permanent fixture that was partially connected to the main warehouse. 

According to an Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) heritage guide, a map from 1932 already shows a keramat, or a tomb built over a Muslim grave, on the lot.

According to heritage‑community research, the woman buried along Moonstone Lane is Syarifah Zainah Al‑Habsyi, a descendant of the Aljunied family and related to the famed saint Habib Noh.

Her tomb happens to be one of the few hidden “sacred shrines” remaining in Singapore today.

Moonstone Lane sits beside the Kallang River and once formed part of the kampong‑style settlement of Kampong Marican. It used to be a riverside village of fishermen and cattle herders, but is now a rapidly urbanizing area.

In March 2019, the grave faced the possibility of exhumation. A notice issued by authorities stated that the remains would be relocated to the larger Pusara Abadi Cemetery in Lim Chu Kang.

However, it was put on hold after heritage enthusiasts and locals researched the tomb, its occupant, and the site’s history.

Several factors contributed to how this tomb survived when so many others have made way for development. These include: The decision by Bachoo Singh to incorporate the grave into his warehouse structure. The fact that the tomb sits within private property. The relative obscurity of the tomb.

For many, this tomb evokes a sense of amazement when they first learn of it. And it’s not surprising: a Muslim woman’s grave, dating from the 1930s or earlier, quietly preserved inside a warehouse by a devout businessman of a different faith. 

While it is believed that the grave belongs to a prominent member of a past society, there are some questions that remain unanswered. For instance: Who exactly was Syarifah Zainah, and what role did she play in the local community? How did the Aljunied/Habsyi lineage connect into this site? What will become of the warehouse, the land, and the tomb as the Kallang‑river corridor is transformed?

The tomb offers a fascinating glimpse into Singapore’s layered past; Muslims, Hindus, fishermen’s kampongs, riverside industry, sacred shrines, and warehouse development.

In a city-state where land is scarce, and old cemeteries and graves have been frequently cleared, the tomb is a link to Singapore’s history.

Hidden Heritage founders, Stanley Cheah, 26, and Amanda Cheong, 37, shared how they stumbled upon the site by chance when returning Stanley’s graduation gown.

“It was surprising knowing there was a tomb hidden within that small building. Even if you were to take a close look at it, there weren’t really any hints that told you what it was inside,” Stanley and Amanda told MS News.

In a city where “build, clear, build again” is the usual rhythm, the tomb of Syarifah Zainah sits quietly undisturbed and seemingly lost in time. It invites us to pause, ask questions, and reflect on whose stories lie beneath Singapore’s fast‑changing surface.