The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has received the lowest funding allocation in the proposed state budget for 2027, according to figures released by the Finance Ministry and submitted to the People's Majlis.
The ministry is allocated MVR 578 million. By comparison, the education sector is allocated MVR 6,279 million and housing MVR 5,067 million. Spending on the Islamic sector has increased from MVR 421 million this year and MVR 439 million in 2025.
The overall proposed budget is MVR 59.7 billion, lower than this year's MVR 64.2 billion. The government has prioritised debt servicing and economic expenditure. The Islamic Ministry has previously outlined plans to become more financially self-sufficient by 2029 through waqf investments and zakat collections, aiming to cover non-salary expenses independently.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said eight waqf projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2028, projecting combined annual revenue of around MVR 250 million from strategic investments and zakat.
The budget documents highlight that the formulation prioritises certain economic and debt-related areas over some religious and social sectors.
