New mosques will include modern Quran classes: Minister

All new mosques built in Maldives will include classrooms for the purpose of teaching Quran.

Islamic Minister Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said that Quran classes are conducted in several mosques currently; however these mosques do not have separate classrooms for this purpose.

“All future mosques will be designed to include classrooms with modern equipment,” he said.

He said that the Imams and scholars of the new mosques will be able to conduct Quran classes, and that the purpose of this is to provide good services in the mosques.

The purpose of including classrooms with modern equipment is to utilise the mosques for educational and social purposes. Mosques in several Islamic countries function in this manner.

“We use mosques just for praying. This is not the only purpose of a mosque. We have to broaden the utilisation of mosques, for educational and social purposes,” Shaheem said.

When Maldives first became an Islamic country, Quran and other subjects were taught at mosques. The first school in Maldives was located at Hukuru Miskiy (Friday Mosque).