Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti and head of the Council of Senior Scholars, has passed away at the age of 81 after a period of illness.
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The Royal Court confirmed his death on Tuesday, with state-run Al-Ekhbariya reporting the announcement. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) also noted his passing, highlighting his decades of service as the Kingdom’s top religious authority. Born in 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz was appointed Grand Mufti in 1999, a position he held for more than two decades. He led the Council of Senior Scholars, interpreted Sharia law, and issued fatwas on legal and societal matters.
Widely recognized for his spiritual leadership, he delivered more Hajj sermons than any cleric in history, addressing millions of pilgrims in Makkah and Medina.
His funeral prayer will be held later today at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayer. King Salman bin Abdulaziz has directed that absentee funeral prayers also take place at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and mosques across the Kingdom.
Tributes have poured in from leaders and scholars worldwide, including condolences from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
