Sheikh Abdulaziz, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and one of the most prominent religious authorities in the Islamic world, has died at the age of 82.
The Royal Court announced on Tuesday that the highly revered cleric passed away earlier in the day.
Born in Mecca in November 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz became a towering figure in the Kingdom’s religious hierarchy. Over decades of service, he held several influential positions, including leading the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta and presiding over the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.
He was the third cleric to occupy the office of Grand Mufti, following in the footsteps of Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Shaikh and Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz. His tenure solidified the role as the Kingdom’s foremost religious authority, providing guidance on Islamic jurisprudence and heading the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas.
In a tribute, the Royal Court said King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had extended condolences to Sheikh Abdulaziz’s family, the Saudi people, and the wider Muslim world. “With his passing, the Kingdom and the Islamic world have lost a distinguished scholar who made significant contributions to the service of science, Islam, and Muslims,” the statement read.
Funeral prayers will be held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayer on Tuesday. King Salman has also directed that prayers be performed simultaneously at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and across all mosques in the Kingdom.
What you should know
Sheikh Abdulaziz was more than a religious figure; he was the custodian of Saudi Arabia’s spiritual and scholarly authority. As Grand Mufti, his influence extended far beyond the Kingdom, shaping Islamic thought across the Muslim world.
His death marks the end of an era in Saudi Arabia’s religious leadership, leaving a profound void in the global Islamic community.
