Saudi Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz is Dead
Saudi Arabia has announced the death of its Grand Mufti and Head of the Council of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh.
He passed away on Tuesday, September 23, at the age of 82.
The Royal Court confirmed the death in a statement released through the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), describing him as a revered Islamic scholar who dedicated his life to serving Islam and guiding Muslims across the world.
The late Saudi Grand Mufti was also head of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, as well as the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.
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INCNews247 learnt his funeral prayer is scheduled to hold after the Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
By royal directive, special prayers in absentia will be conducted simultaneously at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and other mosques across the Kingdom.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have both extended condolences to his family, the Saudi people, and Muslims worldwide.
Born on November 30, 1943, in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz faced personal challenges early in life, losing his parents at the age of seven and later his eyesight in his twenties.
Despite these obstacles, he memorised the Qur’an at a young age and pursued advanced Sharia studies.
He went on to serve on academic councils at Saudi universities before his appointment as Grand Mufti in 1999.
For over two decades, he held the position as the Kingdom’s highest religious authority, issuing fatwas and shaping jurisprudence that influenced Saudi society and the wider Islamic world.
The Royal Court noted that his contributions to Islamic scholarship would remain a lasting legacy for generations.
