Raja Ali Haji (1808–1873) was a scholar, historian and man of letters of Bugis-Malay descent, born on Pulau Penyengat. He studied jurisprudence, Qur'anic exegesis, hadith and Sufism, and authored the shariah-oriented treatise Tsamaratul Muhimmah (1858) on Islamic governance and justice, alongside works on creed and grammar. Initiated into the Naqshbandi-Khalidi order, he is best known for the moral-religious poem Gurindam Dua Belas. His grave lies within the Engku Puteri tomb complex on Penyengat Island and is a frequented site of religious visitation.
