Saudi Arabia has announced the passing of its top religious cleric, the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, at the age of 82. The Royal Court confirmed his death on Tuesday, closing a significant chapter in the Kingdom’s religious leadership.
Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh had served as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia since 1999, becoming one of the most influential voices in Islamic jurisprudence and religious affairs across the Kingdom and beyond.
“The Kingdom and the Muslim world have lost a distinguished scholar, who made significant contributions in the service of science, Islam and Muslims,” said the statement.
The funeral prayers would be held in the capital Riyadh and other mosques across the kingdom later Tuesday, it added.
The Grand Mufti in Muslim-dominated countries interprets Islamic laws and issues fatwas, which are religious edicts.
Al-Sheikh held conservative views even as the kingdom, which was known to follow the strict Wahhabi school of Islam, began introducing slow-paced change, like allowing foreign investments and loosening some laws.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began to steer the country towards what he said was “moderate Islam” and reduce the influence of the country’s hard-line religious establishment.
In 2011, al-Sheikh opposed employing women in shops, describing it as a crime and disrespectful.
Yet, he hailed then-king Abdullah when he allowed women to run for municipal elections and be appointed as members of parliament.
In 2016, the mufti declared chess “forbidden” in Islam, saying it wastes time and stirs enmity among people.
A year later, the kingdom hosted an international chess tournament as it began to take major steps to open up.
In 2017, al-Sheikh described cinemas and concerts as harmful and corrupting.
Shortly after, the country opened its first commercial movie theatre after a 35-year-old ban.(dpa/NAN)(
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