Saudi Arabia has appointed Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan as its new Grand Mufti, the highest religious position in the Kingdom, succeeding the late Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh who passed away in September. This appointment by King Salman, based on the Crown Prince’s recommendation, positions Sheikh Al-Fawzan at the forefront of Islamic scholarship in Saudi Arabia, with a ministerial rank and leadership over key religious councils.On the directive of King Salman, Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan has been officially appointed as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. Alongside this role, he takes on the responsibilities as chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and head of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta (Islamic legal rulings). These positions give him authority over religious verdicts and scholarly Islamic research across the Kingdom.The royal decree, issued by the King and supported by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, also grants Sheikh Al-Fawzan the rank of minister, underscoring the importance of his new role within the government and religious hierarchy.
Background and scholarship
Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan was born in 1935 in ash-Shimasiyyah, Qassim, a region in central Saudi Arabia. Orphaned early in life, he was raised by his extended family and mentored by the local mosque’s imam, Sheikh Hammoud bin Suleiman Al Tilal, who taught him the Quran along with reading and writing basics.His formal education began at a local public school in ash-Shimasiyyah in 1950, followed by primary studies at Al Faisaliyah School in Buraydah, completed in 1952. Initially, he worked as a primary school teacher before enrolling in the Scholarly Institute in Buraydah in 1954 as one of its inaugural students. After four years, he graduated and advanced to the College of Sharia in Riyadh.At the College of Sharia, Sheikh Al-Fawzan earned his degree in 1961. He pursued further academic studies there, obtaining both his master’s and doctoral degrees in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). His master’s thesis explored “Satisfactory Investigations Applying Hypothetical Approaches in the Science of Inheritance,” while his doctoral research focused on “Rulings Concerning Food in Islamic Sharia.”Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan has had a distinguished career in religious scholarship and leadership. He has been a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta since 1992. He also served on the Islamic Fiqh Council affiliated with the Muslim World League and was part of the Supervisory Committee for Preachers during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.He was previously the director of the Higher Institute of Judiciary, a significant role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s religious legal system. Sheikh Al-Fawzan has authored numerous books on Islamic law and conducted popular radio programs, including the widely known “Nur Ala Al-Darb.”His deep knowledge and extensive experience have positioned him as a respected figure within Saudi Arabia’s religious establishment, now formalized by his appointment as Grand Mufti.Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan succeeds the late Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, who died on September 23 at the age of 82. As Saudi Arabia’s fourth Grand Mufti, Sheikh Al-Fawzan assumes a role central to issuing fatwas and guiding the Kingdom’s Islamic jurisprudence in alignment with the country’s religious and governmental framework.
