The House of Jamalullail of Perak is one of the oldest Syed clans in Malaysia. It was established in early 16th century when Syed Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail from Hadramaut arrived in Perak to spread Islam during the reign of Sultan Muzaffar Shah I, the first sultan of Perak. According to R.O. Winstedt in his article titled "The Hadramaut Saiyids of Perak and Siak", Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. 79, the Sayid family of Perak exercised great influence on the history of Perak from its founding in the 16th century. The Saiyid family acquired the highest state offices, those of Orang Kaya Besar and of Menteri. One of its members was made a Bendahara during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Zulkarnain in mid-18th century. The Jamalullails of Perak held the position of the Orang Kaya Menteri six times in the period from the founding of Perak in 1528 until 1862, reflecting the special position given to them. This hereditary tradition in Perak was interrupted upon the death of menteri Syed Usman in 1862, during the reign of Sultan Jaafar Muazzam Shah . According to Buyong Adil, "Sejarah Perak", Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, this change in tradition was a part solution to ending the Larut Wars of 1861-1862.
Syed Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail
Syed Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail bin Ahmad Ba Hasan bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Jamalullail bin Hassan Al Muallim was a 25th descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Al Zahrah and grandson Husain. He was a religious scholar from Hadramaut who came to spread Islam in the Malay Archipelago. His arrival in Perak was estimated to be in early 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Muzzafar Shah I, the first sultan of the Perak. Syed Husain was appointed as the first Menteri of the royal court. He was also the religious teacher to Sultan Muzzafar and this facilitated the spread of Islamic teachings to the people of Perak. Syed Husain died and was buried in Perak in around 1580. For one view on the location of his grave please see Jeragan Abdul Shukor, “List of Graveyards of the Late Sultans of the State of Perak, Der-Ul-Rithuan, enquired into and visited by me, Stia Bijaya Di Raja, under instructions received from the Government”, Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. 48 pp. 97-106. For an alternative view please see N.A. Halim, “Tempat-Tempat Bersejarah Perak”, Jabatan Muzium, Kuala Lumpur 1981. In the early period of the Perak sultanate the Jamalullails of Perak in their capacities as advisers to the sultans played active roles in the administration of the state. Syed Husain himself and his son Syed Hasan were credited with introducing certain legal principles in state administration, which later became the “Ninety-Nine Laws of Perak”. These laws were never officially made as state laws but remained as personal laws of the Jamalullails. It was only at around 1900 when Syed Jaafar bin Syed Yunus, PenghuluR.J.Wilkinson and J.Rigby Wan Ahmad Fauzi Wan Husain, "Kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu", Abad Sinergi Sdn Bhd, Selangor, 2018. The term ‘Jamalullail’ in Arabic literally means ‘beautiful night’. The name was given to certain important personalities in Hadramaut, but most notably to Muhammad bin Hasan Muallim. He was a very religious person who used to stay awake very late into the night offering prayers. For this he was referred to as a 'Jamalullail'.
Family tree
The Jamalullails of Perak trace their ancestry to Muhammad through his grandson Husain, and through Muhammad Jamalullail who was the founder of the Jamalullail family. The family tree of the Jamalullails of Perak showing ancestors and descendants of Syed Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail is as follows: Muhammad - 1. Fatimah al Zahrah/ Ali bin Abi Talib 2. Husain 3. Ali Zainul Abidin 4. Muhammad Al Baqir 5. Jaafar al Sadiq 6. Ali Al Uraidhi 7. Muhammad 8. Isa Al Mohajir 9. Ahmad 10. Ubaidillah 11. Alwi 12. Muhammad Sahib Sumaah 13. Alwi 14. Ali Khale Qasam 15. Muhammad Sahib Mirbath 16. Ali Baalwi 17. Muhammad Al Faqih Muqaddam 18. Ali 19. Hasan Al Turabi 20. Muhammad Asadullah 21. Hasan Al Muallim 22. Muhammad Jamalullail 23. Abdullah 24. Ahmad Ba Hassan 25. Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail. For an explanation on the ancestry of Syed Husain Al Faradz Jamalullail please see the book by Syed Hassan bin Muhammad Al Attas, "Keluarga Al Jamalullail Perak", Masjid Baalwie, Singapore 2019. Husain was the first to come to Perak in early 16th century. His descendants in Perak then reads as follows:
