Meet Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan: New Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
Renowned Islamic Scholar Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan has been appointed as the new Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia after the demise of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh last month
Makkah: Renowned Islamic Scholar Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan has been appointed as the new Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia after the demise of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh last month.
Scholar Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan has been appointed as new Saudi Grand Mufti following a Royal Decree issued Wednesday October 22, 2025, government owned SPA reported.
Some local media reports few week ago had said Khateeb e Hajj and Imam e Haram Sheikh Saleh al Humaid has been appointed on the post.
It has, however ,now been confirmed that Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan will serve as the Grand Mufti which is accorded a ministerial rank.
Sheikh Saleh al Fawzan’s name has been confirmed following the recommendation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Gazette reported.
According to the Royal Decree, issued by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Sheikh Al-Fawzan will also serve as the Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and Head of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta.
Sheikh Al Fawzan: A Brief Profile
Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan was born in Ash-Shamāsiyyah, a small town in the region of Al-Qassim in 1935. He had his school education in the Saudi city of Buraidah. He obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees in Fiqh from the College of Shariah of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.
His Master’s thesis focused on the laws of inheritance, while his Ph.D. dissertation explored the rulings of permissible and forbidden foods in Islamic law. Alongside his academic studies, he benefitted from great scholars such as Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamid and Sheikh Ibrahim bin Ubayd in Buraydah, and later from Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz in Riyadh.
Later, he was appointed the Director of the Higher Institute of Judiciary. Sheikh Al-Fawzan is the author of several books. His writings, including “Al-Irshad ila Saheeh al-I’tiqad,” “Al-Bayan li-Akhṭa’ Ba’ḍ al-Kuttab,” and the four-volume “Al-Khuṭab al-Minbariyyah,” have become trusted references for students and imams alike.
In 1992, Sheikh Saleh was appointed member of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta until to date.
He also served as a member of the Islamic Fiqh Council, affiliated to the Muslim World League, and member of the Supervisory Committee for Preachers during Hajj.
[Sheikh Saleh Al Fawzan with his predecessor Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (File)]
A Respected Teacher
After graduating from Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Sheikh Al-Fawzān also took the job as a Teacher.
Sheikh Al Fawzan served as a Teacher at the Institute of Knowledge in Riyadh, then at the College of Sharia and College of Usul al-Deen, before becoming the Director of the Higher Institute of Judiciary. His years of service produced generations of judges, scholars, and students of knowledge across the Kingdom.
Sheikh Al-Fawzān has also served for decades as Imam and Khateeb of Prince Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Mosque in Riyadh, where he continues to teach lessons in creed, jurisprudence, inheritance, and Arabic studies. His voice became known throughout the Muslim world through the long-running Saudi radio program “Noor ala al-Darb”, where his calm explanations and firm adherence to evidence earned the respect and trust of millions of listeners.
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