Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has been serving as Minister of Islamic Affairs since November 2023, a post that he previously held from 2012-18. He is hafiz of the Qur’an, a licensed lawyer, and former Chancellor of the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM). Dr Saeed was central to the establishment of the Maldives Hajj Corporation, the Maldives Islamic Bank Pvt Ltd, and a waqf fund. He is a member of the Sharia Advisory Council of the Central Bank of the Maldives. Dr Saeed has authored many articles and books on religious issues and has spoken at forums in nine countries.