Colombo, Sri Lanka – Prof. Dr. Aishath Muneeza, Associate Dean of Students & Internationalisation at INCEIF University, Malaysia, has been conferred the Honorary Award at the Islamic Finance Forum of South Asia (IFFSA) Awards 2025, organised by UTO Edu Consult. The award honours her pioneering contributions to the growth and development of Islamic finance in South Asia.
At the ceremony, Prof. Muneeza was celebrated alongside two of the region’s most prominent figures in Islamic finance — Mufti Taqi Usmani of Pakistan and Osman Kassim of Sri Lanka — both recognised for their outstanding achievements.
This latest honour follows her Lifetime Achievement Award from Minhaj University, Pakistan, in 2024, reaffirming her status as one of the most respected female scholars in the global Islamic finance community.
Prof. Muneeza has been instrumental in shaping the Islamic finance sector of the Maldives and beyond. Her contributions include:
- Structuring the Maldives’ first corporate Sukuk (HDFC) and the first sovereign private Sukuk for the government.
- Establishing the country’s first Islamic finance window, HDFC Amna.
- Drafting regulations for the Islamic capital market and introducing the first Islamic T-Bills.
- Designing the first Shariah-compliant microfinance scheme.
- Leading the creation of the National Hajj Pilgrim Fund and serving as Chairperson of Maldives Hajj Corporation.
- Founding and chairing the Maldives Center for Islamic Finance to position the nation as a hub for Islamic finance.
- Serving as the first female Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs, introducing reforms in Islamic social finance institutions and initiating Halal certification.
- Becoming the first registered Shariah Advisor for the capital market with CMDA and chairing its Shariah Advisory Council for ten years.
Her impact also extends to Sri Lanka, where she is the only female accredited Shariah scholar registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP), notably contributing to Sukuk structuring.
Beyond policy and institutional leadership, Prof. Muneeza is internationally recognised for her scholarly work and thought leadership, inspiring women across the world through her achievements in academia and finance.
The IFFSA Awards 2025 underscore her influence as a trailblazer in Islamic finance, with contributions spanning the Maldives, South Asia, and the global stage.
