Four Young Imams Appointed To Address Shortage In Feridhoo

The government-led Young Khateebs Programme has produced four trained Imams for Feridhoo, Alifu Atoll, addressing a long-standing shortage of religious leaders on the island.

Before their appointment, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs had been required to bring in Imams from outside to lead Friday prayers in Feridhoo. The four new Imams, all natives of the island, were part of the third batch of the Young Khateebs Programme. They are Ahmed Afad Basheer, Mohamed Ayan Ahmed Shathir, Ahmed Yasin Abdulla and Mohamed Mifzal Ahmed.

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Prior to their graduation, they had been leading prayers in Feridhoo under a special permit. The shortage of Imams had been a significant concern for the island’s 525 residents, with the local council spending thousands of rufiyaa annually to bring in Imams to conduct Friday prayers in its two mosques.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has set a target to train 1,000 young Khateebs over the next five years as part of wider efforts to strengthen religious services across the Maldives.