Islam in Maldives

The constitution requires that citizenship status be based on adherence to the state religion, which legally makes the country's citizens 100% Muslim.

[1] The importance of the Arabs as traders in the Indian Ocean by the 12th century may partly explain why the last Buddhist king of Maldives Dhovemi converted to Islam in the year 1153[2] (or 1193, for certain copper plate grants give a later date[3]).

[citation needed] The person traditionally deemed responsible for this conversion was a Sunni Muslim visitor named Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari.

[2] His venerated tomb now stands on the grounds of Medhu Ziyaaraiy, opposite[citation needed] the Hukuru Mosque in the capital Malé.

[5] Some scholars have suggested the possibility of Ibn Battuta misreading Maldive texts, and having a bias or felt partial towards the North African Maghrebi/Berber narrative of this Shaykh.

[8] Scholars have spoken that Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari might have been a resident of Berbera, a significant trading port on the north western coast of Somaliland.

[9] Barbara or Barbaroi (Berbers), as the ancestors of the Somalis were referred to by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively.

[2] Because Friday is the most important day for Muslims to attend the mosque, shops and offices in towns and villages close around 11 a.m., reopening at 1 or 2 p.m., and the sermon begins by 12:35 p.m.[2] The prayer call is performed by the Mudhimu (Muezzin).

[2] During the ninth Muslim month of Ramadan, cafés and restaurants are closed during the day, and working hours are limited.

In Malé, the Islamic Centre and the Grand Friday Mosque, built in 1984 with funding from the Persian Gulf states, Pakistan, Brunei, and Malaysia, are imposing, elegant structures.

In the Maldives, general clothing guidelines are observed as per democratic law instated and extremism is punishable by lengthy jail sentences.