MCE, Al-Azhar Mourns Death of Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh

 The Muslim Council of Elders on Tuesday mourned the death of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and president of the kingdom’s Council of Senior Scholars.

The council, chaired by Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, said Al-Sheikh passed away after a long career marked by major scholarly and religious contributions. He also served as chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Fatwa.

In a statement, the council extended condolences to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi people over the loss of the kingdom’s highest religious authority.

“May Almighty Allah envelop him in His boundless mercy, grant him a place in the vast gardens of Paradise, and provide his family, loved ones, students, and admirers with patience and solace,” the statement said.

Sheikh Abdulaziz, who had held the position of Grand Mufti since 1999, was regarded as one of the most influential religious figures in the Muslim world.