| Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia | |
|---|---|
since June 1999 | |
| Office of the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia | |
| Style | Grand Mufti Sheikh |
| Status | Grand Mufti ofSaudi Arabia |
| Member of | Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas |
| Nominator | King of Saudi Arabia |
TheGrand Mufti of Saudi Arabia is the most senior and most influentialMuslim religious and legal authority inSaudi Arabia. The holder of the position is appointed by the King. The Grand Mufti is the head of thePermanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas.
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]
The office was created in 1953 byKing Abdul Aziz with the appointment ofMuhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh.[3] Usually, the office of the Grand Mufti has been filled by a member of theAl ash-Sheikh (the descendants ofMuhammad 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 ofAbdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz.[6] The current muftiAbdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al Sheikh was appointed in 1999 byKing Fahd after the death ofIbn Baz.
