The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and the head of the Council of Senior Scholars, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, has died, the Royal Court said.
He was 82 and had served in the role since 1999.
Funeral prayers were held at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh after the asr (afternoon) prayer on Tuesday, which were attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
King Salman, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, directed that funeral prayers in absentia be performed at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and all mosques across the kingdom, the Royal Court said.
The Grand Mufti, who became blind as a young man, was appointed to the role by Saudi King Fahd. He also served as head of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, and of the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.
He sometimes offered religious opinion on developments in the Middle East. In 2014 he denounced ISIS as “enemy number one of Islam” and not part of the faith.
The Royal Court said that with his passing, the kingdom and the Islamic world have lost a distinguished scholar who made significant contributions to the service of Muslims.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered their condolences to his family, the Saudi people and the Islamic world.
President Sheikh Mohamed sent his condolences to King Salman on the passing of the Grand Mufti, state news agency Wam said.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, also sent condolences to the Saudi king.
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