Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has announced that significant initiatives will accompany the inauguration of the Maldives Zakat House in January 2024. He made the statement referring to a social media post outlining the scheduled plans for the next year.
In a post on X, the Islamic Ministry has outlined a list of scheduled events, including the inauguration of the Maldives Zakat House on January 2 and the unveiling of the Islamic Da'wah plan and the announcement of the Atoll Waqf Project on the same month.
Additionally, the list includes an agreement for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage services is set to be signed in Saudi Arabia on January 5, with plans to share Hajj media coverage within the Maldives. Minister Shaheem is also scheduled to hold a press conference on January 24, coinciding with the launch of an Islamic TV channel in the same month, according to the list.
The Maldives Zakat House is mandated to fortify the Maldivian Zakat system and do all necessary to expand the Zakat Fund by investing in areas where Shariah has approved Zakat, thereby maximising distributor benefits.
The official Dhivehi name for the Maldives Zakat House is Dhivehiraajjeyge Zakat House. In accordance with the numbering system for state agencies, the President's Office has issued a directive that all correspondence to the Maldives Zakat House should use the number 496.
The Maldives Zakat House aims to provide a mechanism for accepting and disbursing Zakat, announce the Nisab for Zakat Al-Mal, or Zakat on Wealth, twice a year, and regularly update the national registry of individuals below the poverty line.