Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan named Saudi Arabia’s new grand mufti

Saudi Arabia has appointed prominent ultraconservative cleric Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan as the kingdom’s new grand mufti, the country’s highest religious authority.The state-run Saudi Press Agency announced late Wednesday that King Salman made the appointment on the recommendation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sheikh Saleh, aged 90, succeeds Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, who served as grand mufti for 25 years until his death in September.Born on 28 September 1935 in al-Qassim province, Sheikh Saleh memorised the Quran with a local imam after the death of his father and later rose to prominence through his long-running radio programme Noor ala al-Darb (“Light the Way”), as well as through books and television appearances. His religious edicts, or fatwas, have long circulated widely on social media.Sheikh Saleh has faced criticism for controversial remarks over the years. Human Rights Watch cited him in 2017 for describing Shiite Muslims as “brothers of ...

• 23 Oct 2025