[Book Review] Syed Omar Aljunied: A Bridge Between Different Faiths (Our Amazing Pioneers series)

Another week, another book from 'Our Amazing Pioneers' series ticked off my reading list. I had previously read the books written about Seah Eu Chin and Naraina Pillai, and my latest read is the book about Syed Omar Aljunied. 

Syed Omar Aljunied: A Bridge Between Different Faiths (Our Amazing Pioneers series)

2023

Published by: WS Education

Written by: Shawn Seah, Illustrated by: Patrick Yee 

I admire the fact that the author of this series introduces characters from various races, representing the multicultural diversity of Singapore. In this book, he narrates the story of Syed Omar Aljunied and his valuable contributions to Singapore. In all honesty, I had no knowledge of Syed Omar until I read this book... I only ever heard of his name through the Aljunied MRT Station. 

"Syed Omar commissioned the building of the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka to serve the Malay fishermen, Bugis merchants and Malaccan businessmen who traded with the Chinese in the Chinatown area." 

Syed Omar was a considerate and empathetic individual who strived to serve people around him. He understood that the Muslim workers and business merchants in Singapore had a spiritual need that had not been fulfilled, and built a Mosque to cater to them. I also learnt that Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka was the first ever mosque built in Singapore.

"This balai (a round platform with a roof but no walls) was opened up to his fellow Muslims from all races, for them to come listen to him teach from the Quran, the Muslim's holy book, or to seek his advice." 

Syed Omar was Muslim and a firm believer of his religion. He had gained a lot of wisdom through reading the Quran and did not hesitate to share this knowledge with his peers. He was a selfless individual who found a purpose in life by sharing his wisdom to improve other people's lives. 

"Syed Omar's generosity was not limited to his own race or religion. He donated land for the building of St Andrew's Cathedral, which stands in the heart of the city." 

It is one thing to take efforts towards creating a Mosque to serve people of his own religion. It is another to understand the spiritual needs of his Christian friends and donate his land for their religious practices. Syed Omar was truly an open-minded individual and it is essential that Singaporeans learn from him to respect other religions and not just their own. 

The book contained a lot of life lessons that would be useful for children. It inspires them to be benevolent, and it encourages them to share their knowledge for the benefit of everyone. Lastly, it sets an example of how they should be accepting of other religions in a multicultural society. Overall, an educational read that I would strongly recommend for children.