Abdulla Saeed
Encyclopedia
Ustaz Justice Abdulla Saeed, from the island of Meedhoo
, is the former chief justice of the Maldives
.
, the Maldives
, on 25 September 1964, Saeed is a descendant of the Dhiyamigili dynasty
of the Maldives. His ancestors include scholars, jurists and educators in the Maldives.
in 1976 and enrolled in Jamia Islamiya, Dabhel
where he received his primary education and memorized the Quran. While attending Jamia Islamiya in India
, he studied Arabic literature, Logic, Theology, Urdu literature, Persian literature, Jurisprudence, Rhetoric, Study of Sirat, History, Hadith, Tafseer, etc. He returned to the Maldives in 1980 and enrolled in English Preparatory and Secondary school in Male’ and continued his secondary education. In 1983, he left the Maldives to go to Cairo, Egypt, where he completed his higher secondary education and enrolled in the Faculty of Sharia and Law of Al-Azhar University
. He is well versed in English, Arabic, Persian and Urdu as well as in Islamic learning.
Saeed was appointed the first Dean of Faculty of Sharia and Law of the Maldives College of Higher Education
and entrusted with the responsibility to lay the foundation of legal education in the Maldives. He also continued to teach law at certificate, diploma and degree level programmes conducted in the Maldives.
Saeed served as Assistant Director General, Public Prosecutions at the Attorney General’s Office. He directed cases to lower courts and to the Higher Court. He also advised government departments.
In 2008 Saeed assumed the office of Chief Justice of the newly established Supreme Court of the Maldives and served in that position until August 2010. He implemented reforms including the publishing of case reports on the web, providing increased access to case report system, and ensuring transparency in the justice system as a whole. After August 2010, he serves as a Supreme Court Justice of the Maldives.
Saeed is married to Moomina Nafiz and they have two children.
Meedhoo
Meedhoo, as a place name, may refer to one of the following locations in the Republic of the Maldives:* Meedhoo * Meedhoo * Meedhoo...
, is the former chief justice of the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
.
Family History
Born in Meedhoo (Seenu Atoll)Meedhoo (Seenu Atoll)
Meedhoo is the oldest populated island in Addu Atoll in the Republic of Maldives, having been settled between 1000 and 500 BCE. Its current population is 2511. Its name comes from the original Indo-Aryan settlers; Meedhoo means Big Island in Sanskrit.The original settlers were divehi people of...
, the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, on 25 September 1964, Saeed is a descendant of the Dhiyamigili dynasty
Dhiyamigili dynasty
The Dhiyamigili dynasty was the fifth royal dynasty to rule over the Maldives. It comprised four sultans:* Sultan Muzaffar Muhammad Imaduddin II * Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar II * Sultan Mukarram Muhammad Imaduddin III...
of the Maldives. His ancestors include scholars, jurists and educators in the Maldives.
Education
Saeed departed for IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1976 and enrolled in Jamia Islamiya, Dabhel
Dabhel
Dabhel is a town in Gujarat state of India. It is famous for its Arabic education, most notably given in Jamiah Islamiah Talimud-din.Dabhel lies some 25-30km south of Surat and 10-15km north of Navsari, to the east is Vesma crossroad on NH 8 and to the west is Maroli...
where he received his primary education and memorized the Quran. While attending Jamia Islamiya in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, he studied Arabic literature, Logic, Theology, Urdu literature, Persian literature, Jurisprudence, Rhetoric, Study of Sirat, History, Hadith, Tafseer, etc. He returned to the Maldives in 1980 and enrolled in English Preparatory and Secondary school in Male’ and continued his secondary education. In 1983, he left the Maldives to go to Cairo, Egypt, where he completed his higher secondary education and enrolled in the Faculty of Sharia and Law of Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
. He is well versed in English, Arabic, Persian and Urdu as well as in Islamic learning.
Career
Abdulla Saeed was admitted as an Advocate of the Maldives in 1995. He began his legal career with the Attorney General’s Office. Just after his return from Cairo, with a B.A in Shariah and Law from Al-Azhar University, he was appointed as a State Attorney at the Attorney General’s Office in 1995. As a State Attorney, Saeed represented the State in the lower courts and High Court, and advised government departments on numerous legal matters referred to the Attorney General’s Office.Saeed was appointed the first Dean of Faculty of Sharia and Law of the Maldives College of Higher Education
Maldives College of Higher Education
The Maldives National University is the first university to be opened in the Maldives. Inaugurated on February 15, 2011, the university was previously known as the Maldives College of Higher Education which was established on January 1, 1999, as part of a restructuring and rationalization of all...
and entrusted with the responsibility to lay the foundation of legal education in the Maldives. He also continued to teach law at certificate, diploma and degree level programmes conducted in the Maldives.
Saeed served as Assistant Director General, Public Prosecutions at the Attorney General’s Office. He directed cases to lower courts and to the Higher Court. He also advised government departments.
In 2008 Saeed assumed the office of Chief Justice of the newly established Supreme Court of the Maldives and served in that position until August 2010. He implemented reforms including the publishing of case reports on the web, providing increased access to case report system, and ensuring transparency in the justice system as a whole. After August 2010, he serves as a Supreme Court Justice of the Maldives.
Saeed is married to Moomina Nafiz and they have two children.