News Desk
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu today laid the foundation stone for the “Sultan Mohamed bin Abdullah Grand Mosque and Islamic Civilization Centre” in Hulhumalé Phase 2, launching the construction of the largest mosque ever built in the Maldives.
The landmark project, situated at the junction connecting Hulhumalé Phase 2 and Phase 3, was officially inaugurated during a ceremony attended by Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Al Rajhi Company Bandar Abdullah Al Rajhi, Saudi Ambassador to the Maldives Yahya Hassan Al-Qahtani, and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Managing Director Ali Zuhair.
Finance and construction for the mega-project have been awarded to Saudi Arabia’s Al Rajhi Company, following a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday that officially handed over the land site. HDC had previously transferred the land plot to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on June 10, 2026.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Shaheem revealed that construction on the primary mosque structure is targeted for completion within two years.
“Our goal, with the mercy of Allah, is to finish the mosque section within two years at most,” Dr. Shaheem said. “There are additional waqf projects attached to the complex, but due to legal requirements, we are handling that component separately. God willing, we are working with full determination to start and complete the main mosque as quickly as possible.”
The Minister noted that plans for a grand mosque and Islamic center in Hulhumalé had been part of the city’s master plan for two decades, originally slated for the Central Park area, but failed to materialize under previous administrations. He credited President Muizzu’s direct prioritization in this year’s Presidential Address for finally bringing the project to fruition, aligning the foundation laying with the historical 900th anniversary of the Maldives converting to Islam.
Once complete, the complex will dwarf the current largest mosque in the country, the Islamic Centre in Malé, which accommodates roughly 4,500 worshippers. The new Grand Mosque features a main prayer hall capable of holding 10,000 worshippers simultaneously.
Beyond serving as a primary place of worship, the facility will operate as a full-scale Islamic civilization hub. Plans for the site include administrative offices for imams and staff, an Islamic library, a cultural center, an exhibition hall, and a dedicated Quran museum. The complex will also house a multipurpose community hall, a visitor area tailored for locals and tourists, an Islamic bookstore, and a gift shop.
