Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti passes away at 82

Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti and the kingdom's highest-ranking Islamic scholar responsible for interpreting religious law and issuing binding religious rulings, died Tuesday, the Saudi Royal Court announced.

Al Al-Sheikh served as the religious authority and custodian of Islam's two holiest mosques in Mecca and Medina, making his interpretations influential across the global Muslim community of nearly two billion people.

Funeral prayers will be held Tuesday afternoon at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh following the Asr prayer. King Salman ordered funeral prayers in absentia at the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, and all mosques throughout the kingdom.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered condolences to Al Al-Sheikh's family, the Saudi people, and the broader Islamic community.

Held post since 1999

The 82-year-old religious leader had served as Grand Mufti since 1999, holding the position for 26 years through significant social and economic changes in Saudi Arabia.

As head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the General Presidency of Scholarly Research, he issued fatwas on legal and societal matters that guided both government policy and daily life for millions of Muslims.

Al Al-Sheikh also served on the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League, extending his influence beyond Saudi borders to international Islamic affairs.

His death creates a significant vacancy in Saudi Arabia's religious hierarchy at a time when the kingdom is implementing sweeping social reforms under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 modernization plan.

The Grand Mufti's successor will face the challenge of balancing traditional Islamic interpretations with the kingdom's changing social landscape.