The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, has announced that MVR 4,500 has been deposited into the accounts of each individual listed in the national low-income and orphans registry as part of this year’s Zakat al-Fitr distribution.

Speaking to local media on Saturday, Dr Shaheem confirmed that, in addition to the monetary distribution, 15 kilograms of grain will also be distributed per person to low-income individuals in Greater Malé area. He further revealed that MVR 500,000 from the Zakat fund will be allocated to provide meals for children in Palestine.

This year marks a historic shift in how Zakat al-Fitr is distributed in the Maldives. For the first time, the system has been centralised to ensure equal distribution across the country, rather than basing disbursements solely on the amount collected within each island. Minister Dr Shaheem noted that this change was implemented to uphold the core Islamic principle of equity in Zakat distribution.