September 23, 2025
Web desk
Saudi Arabia and the wider Muslim world mourn the loss of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, the country’s Grand Mufti, who passed away in Riyadh on Tuesday at the age of 82, according to a statement by the Royal Court.
Funeral prayers will be held at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayer today.
King Salman has also ordered prayers in absentia (Salat al-Ghaib) at major holy sites including the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and in mosques across the Kingdom following Asr.
Sheikh Al-Sheikh held several key religious roles over his lifetime: he was the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars, and head of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta. He also led the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League. He was appointed Grand Mufti in 1999 following the death of his predecessor, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz.
Born on November 30, 1943, in Mecca, Sheikh Al-Sheikh memorized the Qur’an early in life. He lost his sight in his twenties but continued his studies in Islamic Sharia and jurisprudence despite this challenge, later serving at universities and in roles as preacher and scholar.
King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and other leaders have extended their deepest condolences to his family, the people of Saudi Arabia, and the broader Islamic community.
