Sheikh Ilyas Hussein, who is known for his criticism of the government, has been licensed to preach again after it was revoked last year. 

Sheikh Ilyas had delivered a sermon after Asr, midday prayer, at the Islamic Centre on Sunday. 

His license was revoked in 2016, after he delivered a sermon that was critical of government policies on Friday, 14th October. This sermon was delivered at the southernmost Addu City. 

The Islamic Ministry revoked his license for violations of the Religious Unity Act, which states that sermons delivered across the nation at noon prayer on Friday must be the one issued by the ministry.

Sheikh Ilyas responded to the penalty by maintaining that he had not done anything illegal.

The cleric is a member of the opposition Adhaalath Party, which has made allegations of corruption and human rights abuses against the government. He is a vocal opponent of the new penal code, which Ilyas has claimed will erode Islamic values in the Maldives, and secularism. 

The party’s leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla has been serving a prison sentence for inciting violence at an opposition rally. The party has claimed that these charges are trumped up.