The Maldives recorded a strong increase in Zakat al-Mal collections in July 2026, with the State receiving USD 1.10 million during the month, according to statistics released by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
The July collection represents a 43 per cent increase compared with USD 778,210.12 collected during the same month last year, reflecting continued growth in Zakat contributions and greater participation in the country’s formal Zakat collection framework.
Cumulative Zakat al-Mal collections have also strengthened during the year. A total of USD 6.29 million has been collected so far in 2026, representing an increase of approximately 31 per cent compared with USD 4.73 million collected over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Zakat al-Mal is a religious obligation applicable to Muslims whose qualifying wealth reaches or exceeds the prescribed Nisab threshold and remains in their possession for a complete lunar year. Payments may be made throughout the year, providing individuals with flexibility in fulfilling their Zakat obligations through the State-administered system.
The Maldives Zakat House established the cash Nisab at USD 1,416.12 on 21 April 2026. The threshold was calculated based on the value of 595 grams of silver, with silver valued at USD 2.38 per gram at the time of the determination.
As the Maldives Monetary Authority publishes market rates for precious metals including gold and silver, the Nisab threshold may change in accordance with fluctuations in international commodity prices. This mechanism allows the national Zakat framework to remain aligned with prevailing market valuations while providing a transparent basis for determining eligibility for Zakat al-Mal.
MIRA is responsible for facilitating the collection of Zakat al-Mal and also provides an online calculation facility to assist individuals in determining the amount payable. The Maldives Zakat House is responsible for administering and distributing the funds to eligible beneficiaries under the national Zakat system.
The Government has continued to strengthen the institutional administration of Zakat as part of its wider efforts to enhance social welfare, support vulnerable households and ensure that Zakat contributions are distributed systematically to eligible members of society.
During the previous month, the Maldives Zakat House distributed Zakat funds among individuals registered in the national registry of the poor and needy up to the first day of Hajj. A total of 2,384 registered beneficiaries received USD 356.68 each, bringing the overall distribution to USD 850,324.25.
Official records indicate that the amount distributed to each beneficiary was higher than the corresponding allocation last year and represented the largest individual Zakat payout recorded to date. The higher distribution demonstrates the growing capacity of the national Zakat system to provide meaningful financial assistance to eligible households.
The continued increase in Zakat al-Mal collections, together with the expansion of distributions to registered beneficiaries, reflects the Government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s Islamic social finance framework and ensure that collected funds contribute directly towards supporting poor and needy individuals across the Maldives.
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