Dr. Majeed was likely assassinated, claims former home minister

Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, the Maldives’ first Islamic minister, did not die of natural causes but was assassinated, suspects former home minister Imran Abdulla.

Majeed had died at the age of 55 in 2018, a couple of days after he was admitted to a hospital in Sri Lanka after suffering from a stroke.

But in a post on X on Saturday morning, Imran, the leader of Adhaalath Party (AP), said that he had always suspected Majeed did not die of natural causes but was assassinated.

He said that he is “nearly certain” of this.

“I am nearly certain regarding the suspicions I have had regarding the untimely death of Dr. Abdul Majeed, may Allah have mercy on him. Yes. Dr. Majeed was assassinated,” he said.

ޑރ ޢިަބްދުލްމަޖީދު ރަޙިމަހުالله ގެ ކުއްލި މަރާ ގުޅިގެން މިއޮތް ހުރިހާދުވަހު ހިތުގައި އުފެދިފައި އޮތް ޝައްކު މިހާރު ޔަގީންވާ ހިސާބައް އަތުވެއްޖެއެވެ.
އާއެކެވެ، ޑޮކްޓަރ މަޖީދު ބަޔަކު ޝަހީދުކޮށްލީއެވެ.

— Imran Abdulla (@ShimranAb) June 14, 2025

This is the first time that Imran or anyone else has voiced such suspicions regarding Majeed’s death.

But in 2015, Imran claimed that there was evidence linking then-president Abdulla Yameen Abdul with the 2012 murder of Islamic scholar Dr. Afrasheem Ali - a claim that landed him in jail on terrorism charges.

A renowned Islamic scholar, Majeed played a key role in bringing democracy to the Maldives and was the founding leader of AP, a party that Imran now leads.

AP was part of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)-led coalition which propelled former president Mohamed Nasheed to power in 2008. He was also appointed to lead the country’s first Islamic Ministry, which Nasheed established.

Majeed was the first Maldivian to attain a PhD in Tafsir and Ulum Al-Quran. He was a senior lecturer at the Maldives National University (MNU), and published a number of books in both Dhivehi and Arabic.

He was also the first president of the Center for Quran Studies established by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Majeed died on May 22, 2018, four days after he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Lanka Hospital in Colombo.

He is survived by his wife and five children.