Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said on Tuesday that he believes the unusual increase in the amount of Zakat al-Fitr being collected this year is a result of building a good, reliable and credible zakat system.
The remarks come a day after the Maldives Zakat House shared statistics of zakat proceeds collected during the first 10 days of Ramadan between 2021 and 2025.
This year, the Zakat House collected MVR 2.91 million compared to MVR 1.60 million last year. This marks an increase of MVR 1.31 million or 81.98 percent than the previous year.
ZAKAT COLLECTION (FIRST 10 DAYS OF RAMADAN):
2021: MVR 977,301
2022: MVR 1.09 million
2023: MVR 1.39 million
2024: MVR 1.60 million
2025: MVR 2.91 million
Shaheem told Sun on Tuesday that he believes the main reason for the sharp increase is the success in establishing a credible zakat system with the establishment of the Zakat House.
Residents of Male' City offer Fitr al-Zakat at the collection point set up at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. (Photo/Ministry of Islamic Affairs)
He noted that the Zakat House has been sharing expenditure details with the press and releasing monthly reports – resulting in increased transparency and an increased trust in the system, as a result.
Shaheem said that the multiple awareness programs run by the authorities also contributed to the increase in zakat proceeds.
Zakat House will continue to accept zakat online until 06:00 am on march 27.
Online zakat payment options include:
Dhiraagu: DhiraaguApp/ DhiraaguPay website
Ooredoo Maldives: M-Faisaa app
Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB): FaisaMobile X app
Bank of Maldives (BML): BML Mobile app
Fahi Pay: FahiPay app
Ministry of Finance: BandeyriPay website or portal