Masjid al-Haram Imam Yasir ad-Dawsari to Visit Maldives

Imam and Khatib of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, His Eminence Dr. Yasir ad-Dawsari, is scheduled to make an official visit to the Maldives, Islamic Affairs Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed announced tonight.

The Minister made the announcement while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 38th National Quran Recitation Competition, attended by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed.

Minister Shaheem said the dates for Dr. ad-Dawsari’s visit would be announced at a later date.

The visit will mark the first time in 43 years that an Imam of Masjid al-Haram has officially visited the Maldives. The last such visit took place during the inauguration of the Islamic Centre in Malé, when the then Imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Sheikh Muhammad al-Subayyil, attended the ceremony.

The announcement comes after the official visit to the Maldives in 2024 by Dr. Salah Al-Budair, Imam of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of Quran competition, Minister Shaheem also said the Maldives is currently witnessing a promising period in the development and promotion of Quranic education.

He said extensive efforts are being carried out across the country to promote knowledge of the Holy Quran and stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum achieved in the field.

The Minister also highlighted reforms introduced to the National Quran Recitation Competition this year. He said the 38th edition featured the most significant changes in the competition’s history, including opening participation to anyone wishing to compete.

He described the latest edition as a major success and thanked all individuals and institutions involved in organizing and conducting the competition.

The National Quran Recitation Competition is one of the country’s major annual Quranic events, bringing together participants from across the Maldives to compete in different categories of Quran recitation and memorization.