Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia is the most senior and most influential Muslim religious and legal authority in Saudi Arabia. The holder of the position is appointed by the King. The Grand Mufti is the head of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas.

Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
Incumbent
Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh
since June 1999
Office of the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
StyleGrand Mufti
Sheikh
StatusGrand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
Member ofPermanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas
NominatorKing of Saudi Arabia
Term lengthNo fixed term
Inaugural holderMuhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh
Formation1953
Websitemufti.af.org.sa

Role

The Grand Mufti is the most senior religious authority in the country. His main role is to give opinions (fatwas) on legal matters and on social affairs.[1] The Saudi court system is heavily influenced by the opinions of the Grand Mufti.[2]

History

The office was created in 1953 by King Abdul Aziz with the appointment of Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh.[3] Usually, the office of the Grand Mufti has been filled by a member of the Al ash-Sheikh (the descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab).[4] In fact, there has only ever been one Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia who was not an Al ash-Sheikh.[5] In 1969, King Faisal abolished the office of Grand Mufti and replaced it with a Ministry of Justice. The position was restored in 1993 with the appointment of Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz.[6] The current mufti Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al Sheikh was appointed in 1999 by King Fahd after the death of Ibn Baz.

List of incumbents

See also

References
  1. Baamir, Abdulrahman Yahya (2010). Shari'a Law in Commercial and Banking Arbitration. p. 28. ISBN 9781409403777.
  2. Baamir, Abdulrahman Yahya (2010). Shari'a Law in Commercial and Banking Arbitration. p. 29. ISBN 9781409403777.
  3. Hatina, Meir (2008). Guardians of faith in modern times: ʻulamaʼ in the Middle East. p. 221. ISBN 978-90-04-16953-1.
  4. Federal Research Division (2004). Saudi Arabia A Country Study. pp. 232–233. ISBN 978-1-4191-4621-3.
  5. AbuKhalil, Asʻad (2004). The battle for Saudi Arabia: royalty, fundamentalism, and global power. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-58322-610-0.
  6. Watson, Mark (2008). Prophets and princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the present. p. 328. ISBN 978-0-470-18257-4.
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