Saudi’s grand mufti passes away

Staff Reporter :

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, has passed away. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return).
According to Arab News, he died on Tuesday at 11 am local time at his residence in Riyadh. The Royal Court confirmed his death in an official statement.

His funeral prayer will be held at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque.
In addition, at the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, absentee funeral prayers will be offered for him at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and all mosques across the Kingdom.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh was appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia in 1999 and held the position for decades as the Kingdom’s highest-ranking religious authority.
He also served as Chairman of the Presidency of Islamic Research and Ifta, overseeing religious rulings, Sharia interpretation, and guidance on legal and social matters.
He was widely respected for his scholarship and long service to the Kingdom. From 1981 onward, he regularly delivered the Hajj sermon at Arafat, continuing for 35 years until his retirement in 2016 due to old age.

Born on 30 November 1943 in Makkah, Sheikh Abdul Aziz memorized the Qur’an at a young age despite losing his father early in life.

He lost his eyesight in his twenties but continued his Sharia studies with dedication. Over the years, he became known not only as a religious scholar but also as a teacher, imam, preacher, and researcher.

He delivered sermons at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque and at the historic Namira Mosque in Arafat for many years, influencing generations with his teachings.