King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has appointed Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan as the new grand mufti of the Kingdom, according to a royal decree.
The appointment was made based on a proposal by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Sheikh Al-Fawzan succeeds the late Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, who passed away on September 23 at the age of 82.
Under the decree, Sheikh Al-Fawzan will also serve as chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and president of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, with the rank of minister. These key positions make him one of the most influential religious authorities in Saudi Arabia’s clerical and legal hierarchy.
Academic and scholarly background
Born in 1935 in ash-Shimasiyyah, a town in Saudi Arabia’s Qassim region, Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan grew up as an orphan under the care of his extended family. He was mentored by Sheikh Hammoud bin Suleiman Al-Tilal, the imam of the local mosque, who taught him the Quran and the basics of reading and writing.
He began his formal education at a public school in ash-Shimasiyyah in 1950, later completing his primary studies at Al-Faisaliyah School in Buraydah in 1952. Al-Fawzan initially worked as a primary school teacher before joining the Scholarly Institute in Buraydah in 1954, becoming one of its first students.
After four years, he graduated and enrolled at the College of Sharia in Riyadh, where he earned his degree in Islamic law in 1961. He went on to complete both a master’s and doctoral degree in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) at the same institution.
His master’s thesis was titled 'Satisfactory Investigations Applying Hypothetical Approaches in the Science of Inheritance', while his doctoral dissertation explored 'Rulings Concerning Food in Islamic Sharia'.
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Sheikh Al-Fawzan’s academic career spans several decades. He began teaching at the Scientific Institute in Riyadh, later joining the College of Sharia and the College of Fundamentals of Religion. He also served as director of the Higher Institute of the Judiciary, before returning to teach at the same institution after completing his administrative tenure.
Known for his scholarship, Sheikh Al-Fawzan has authored numerous works on Fiqh, theology, and Islamic ethics. He is widely respected for his lectures, writings, and religious guidance, both within Saudi Arabia and across the Muslim world.
Key roles in Saudi Arabia’s religious leadership
Before his new appointment, Sheikh Al-Fawzan was a longstanding member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Fiqh Council in Makkah. He has also played a leading role in Islamic awareness programs for preachers during the Hajj season, providing guidance to pilgrims and clerics alike.
His elevation to the role of Grand Mufti marks the continuation of a lifelong commitment to Islamic scholarship, jurisprudence, and public service.
Sheikh Al-Fawzan succeeds Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, who served as grand mufti for over two decades until his passing in September. The late scholar was known for his deep religious knowledge and his leadership in shaping Saudi Arabia’s religious and legal institutions.
