Zakat has been made legally mandatory as the new Zakat Act came into force on Thursday, with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu officially establishing Maldives Zakat House accordingly.
Maldives Zakat House was initially established by President Muizzu on December 18, 2024, via a presidential decree shortly after assuming office.
With the establishment of the Maldives Zakat House under the new legislature, the Zakat House that previously operated under the Ministry of Islamic Affairs prior to the enactment of the Zakat Act has been dissolved.
The Zakat Act lays down a proper framework for the collection and distribution of zakat in order to achieve the purposes for which it is mandatory in the religion of Islam.
The legislation was passed by the Parliament and ratified by the President on December 6, 2025.
The Act criminalizes three acts:
Collecting zakat from someone who is not obligated to pay zakat
Collecting zakat from a property or asset that is not subject to zakat
Unfair distribution or investment of zakat money
All three offenses are punishable with fines of MVR 1,000 to MVR 100,0000.
The collection of zakat, all related administrative work, the management of the registry of people eligible for zakat, and ensuring convenient payment methods all fall under the purview of the Maldives Zakat House.