The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh, passed away at the age of 84. Saudi News Agency confirmed the news today. The funeral prayer will take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh later in the day.
Saudi Arabia is mourning the loss of its esteemed religious figure, with King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordering a special prayer in his honor at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and all mosques in the country. The Crown Prince has also expressed his condolences. Al-Sheikh held the position of Chairman of the General Presidency of Islamic Research and Ifta, with a ministerial rank, and was the Head of the Council of Senior Scholars.
A member of the Al ash-Sheikh family, Abdulaziz Al Sheikh took over leadership at the Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Mosque in Dukhna, Riyadh, in 1970. He later became an assistant professor at the College of Sharia in Mecca. He is the third Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, following Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh and Abdulaziz Bin Baz.
Ten years ago, Al Sheikh decreed that playing chess was not permissible in Islam due to its association with gambling and fostering animosity between players. Despite facing challenges early in life, including losing his father at a young age and later losing his eyesight in his 20s, he pursued studies in Sharia and became a respected figure in academic circles.
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