The administration of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has begun issuing payments for a substantially increased monthly allowance to Hafizes, individuals who have memorised the Holy Quran, in what officials describe as a landmark initiative to advance Islamic education. The allowance has been doubled from USD 129.67 to USD 259.34, fulfilling a key electoral pledge aimed at enhancing religious scholarship throughout the nation.
Approved following Cabinet-level deliberations and announced by President Muizzu on 24 June, the measure marks a policy shift intended to incentivise Quranic memorisation. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has affirmed that the new rate is now in effect, in keeping with the administration's emphasis on expanding religious education.
President Muizzu has described the safeguarding of Islam as a central national obligation. He has pointed to a growing cohort of Quran memorisers across the country and committed to accelerating efforts that deepen knowledge and elevate the quality of recitation.
This expanded allowance is part of a broader set of reforms aimed at creating an environment conducive to sustained religious learning. Among these are increased resource allocations and the development of enhanced recognition programmes, plans the president has pledged to prioritise across both policy design and budgetary planning.
Revisions to certification protocols reflect another layer of change. Previously, students who completed memorisation at the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) were required to sit an additional examination administered by the National Centre for the Holy Quran. That requirement has now been lifted, with graduates receiving Hafiz certification upon graduation, thereby streamlining the process and removing a longstanding procedural hurdle.
Efforts to formalise the qualification advanced last year, when the Islamic affairs ministry, in consultation with the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA), secured the alignment of the Hafiz certificate with national academic standards. The credential now holds recognition as a Level 4, or Advanced Certificate, under the Maldives National Qualifications Framework (MNQF), cementing its status as a nationally accredited qualification.