The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh, passed away at the age of 84, as confirmed by the Saudi News Agency earlier today. A funeral prayer is scheduled to take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh later in the day.
The nation is grieving the loss of its prominent religious figure, with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordering a special prayer to be conducted in his honor at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and all mosques throughout the Kingdom. The Crown Prince has also expressed his condolences.
Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, who held the position of Chairman of the General Presidency of Islamic Research and Ifta, and carried the title of minister, was also the Head of the Council of Senior Scholars. He hailed from the Al ash-Sheikh family and took on leadership roles early in his career, eventually becoming an esteemed member of academic bodies at universities.
Being the third Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, following Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh and Abdulaziz Bin Baz, Al Sheikh was known for his religious rulings, including his prohibition of chess in Islam due to its association with gambling and fostering animosity among players.
Despite facing challenges such as losing his father at a young age and later losing his eyesight in his twenties, Sheikh Al Sheikh persevered in his Sharia studies and went on to make significant contributions in the academic sphere.