Government to Disqualify Those Found Misusing Poverty Registry for Hajj Sponsorship
Photo credit: Ministry of Islamic Affairs
The government has cautioned that individuals who falsify information to secure a spot on the poverty registry and gain State-funded Hajj sponsorship will be disqualified.
Concerns have been raised that some of those chosen for this year’s programme may not have met the eligibility criteria. In response, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, stated that further assessments would be conducted to verify the authenticity of the selected individuals’ applications. He warned that any fraudulent entries would result in disqualification from the programme.
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ސަރުކާރުގެޚަރަދުގައި ހައްޖަށް ދާން ފަޤީރުންގެ ދަފްތަރުންް ގުރުއަތުން ހޮވޭ ފަރާތްތައް ޙައްޖަށް ފޮނުވާނީ އިތުރަށް އެމީހުންގެ ޙާލަތު ބަލާފައި. ފަޤީރުންގެ ޝަރުޠަށް ފެތޭކަން ކަށަވަރުކޮށް. އޮޅުވާލައިގެން ދަފްތަރުގައި ޖެހިފައިވާ ކަން ސާބިތު ވެއްޖެ ނަމަ ހައްޖުގެ ފުރުޞަތު ގެއްލޭނެ.— Ministry of Islamic Affairs (@MVIaffairs) March 14, 2025
The selection process, which took place on Tuesday at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, identified 50 individuals for the pilgrimage. An additional ten people were named as substitutes in case any of the selected candidates were unable to travel. The Ministry confirmed that this year’s applicants were drawn from the Maldives Zakat House’s poverty registry, last updated in December 2024.
To be eligible, applicants had to be between 50 and 70 years old, in good health, and must not have performed the obligatory Hajj before. The initiative is part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s commitment to sending 1,000 underprivileged individuals on the Hajj pilgrimage during his first term in office. He made this pledge during a speech in Mulaku, Meemu Atoll, on 18 August 2023. The first group of 50 pilgrims under this programme travelled last year.
The Maldives receives an annual allocation of 1,000 Hajj quotas from Saudi Arabia, with the Maldives Hajj Corporation being the sole provider of pilgrimage services. Hajj Day this year is set to fall on 5 June.
