Gov’t Targets 500 Quran Hafizes, Doubles Financial Allowances and Expands Regional Centres

The government of Maldives has launched an expanded national initiative aimed at increasing the total number of certified Quran Hafizes—individuals who have memorised the entire Quran—to 500 within the current presidential term.

According to the Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, the total number of official Hafizes in the country currently stands at 322. Officials anticipate a significant cohort will graduate during the upcoming month of Ramadan.

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The expansion builds on policy commitments outlined by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during his Presidential Address to the People’s Majlis in February, where he underscored the administration’s intention to accord formal honour and state support to Quran scholars. To encourage memorisation, the administration doubled the monthly state allowance provided to registered Hafizes, raising it from MVR 2,000 to MVR 4,000.

In addition, the government has fully funded the National Quran Recitation Competition, doubling its prize money and introducing a Presidential Award for the overall champion, which covers full scholarship funding up to PhD level in any field and country.

With the aim of scaling educational infrastructure across the archipelago, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is executing a plan to establish branches of the National Centre for the Holy Quran on every inhabited island by 2028.

Currently, more than 2,000 students are enrolled in memorisation programmes nationwide, primarily through the Centre for the Holy Quran and the Ilm Institute. Functional branches have already begun operations across 30 islands, with registration underway for 20 additional locations and active construction on 38 purpose-built facilities.

Alongside Quranic education, the government is focusing on youth religious leadership as part of broader efforts to mark the 900th anniversary of Islamic guidance in the Maldives. To date, official programmes have trained more than 700 young khatibs (sermon givers) nationwide.

As part of these celebrations, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs will host the National Symposium of Young Khatibs at the Islamic Centre on Sunday, 13 September 2026. More than 300 young khatibs are expected to participate, though officials noted that some trained individuals face travel constraints from the outer atolls or conflicts with academic examinations.

During the event, participating young khatibs will also officially attend the foundation stone laying ceremony for a major new mosque development in Hulhumalé.

According to President Muizzu, in order to support these long-term religious initiatives, construction is scheduled to begin this year on a dedicated Waqf building in Malé to secure sustainable funding. Local instruction capacity will also receive support through revised job descriptions for island imams, formally incorporating Quran teaching into their official duties.