After stepping down from presidential office in November 2008, President Gayoom dedicated more time to philanthropic and social service. He formed in 2010 his own non-political not-for-profit organization – The Maumoon Foundation (TMF). He also continues his academic endeavours through the Office of Former President Maumoon.

President Gayoom is a member of the Constituent Council of Rabitat Al-Alam Al-Islami (Muslim World League). He was awarded Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by the Alighar Muslim University of India in 1983, Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by the Jamia Millia Islamia of India in 1990 and Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by the Pondicherry University of India in 1994. He was also awarded the Global 500 Honour Roll by the United Nations Environment Programme in 1988, the International Environment Award by DRV (Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association of Germany) in 1998, the Man of the Sea Award for 1990 by Lega Navale Italiana in 1991 and TERI’s Sustainable Development Leadership Award in 2008.

In addition, he was awarded the Grand Order of Mugunghawa (the highest order of the Republic of Korea) in 1984, Knight Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG) (the highest order accorded to Foreign Dignitaries by the British Monarchy) in 1997, the World Health Organisation Health-for-All Gold Medal in 1998, the Shield of Al-Azhar University of Cairo in 2002 and the “Lanka Mithra Vibushana” – highest national honour of Sri Lanka for foreign Heads of State or Government, in February 2008. In 2013, President Gayoom won the highest national honour of the Maldives, the “Nishan Ghaazee”.

President Gayoom is a family man. Madam Nasreena Gayoom takes a keen personal interest in the public life of her husband and appears with him on many public occasions. They have four children, two daughters, Dunya and Yumna, two sons, Faris and Ghassan and seven grandchildren, Rafhan, Amana, Iyadh, Sa’rra, Aya, Izzudin and Aideen.

In 2005, President Gayoom founded the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), which was then the leading political party in the Maldives. He served as the first elected Leader of the Party, and, in 2010, was elected as the Honorary Leader. Finding that DRP was not performing as a strong opposition party, he resigned from that position in 2011 and formed the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), with a vision to better serve the people. He was subsequently elected as the Interim President of the Party and later as the President of the PPM. In its first year of existence, the party had risen in prominence. President Gayoom maintains an active schedule promoting the party, including frequent campaign visits to the atolls and holds regular party rallies in the capital, Male’.

After no less than twenty victories from twenty-three contested elections since the party’s registration, PPM made history by winning the 2013 presidential elections, returning Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom as President and Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed as Vice President. President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s younger half-brother.

President Gayoom’s leisure interests include reading, poetry, astronomy, photography, calligraphy, badminton and cricket.