President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has inaugurated Masjid Yoosuf Al Barbaree in Malé City, with the opening held in conjunction with the Asr prayer.

The newly opened three-storey mosque has the capacity to accommodate up to 1,400 worshippers and is named after Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbaree, the scholar credited with bringing Islam to the Maldives in 1153 AD.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, along with other cabinet ministers.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs said the construction of the mosque was contracted to a private party under an agreement signed in January 2024, as part of wider efforts to expand prayer facilities nationwide.

The Government has announced plans to open several mosques this year, including facilities in different islands ahead of Ramadan. The ministry has also set targets to construct new mosques in Malé City to replace older prayer facilities