King Salman bin Abdulaziz has appointed Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah Al Humaid as the new Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Senior Council of Scholars.
Dr. Al Humaid takes over from Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82 after serving in the post for more than 25 years.
According to Arab media reports, Dr. Al Humaid is regarded as one of the most respected scholars in the Muslim world. He has served as the senior Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Al Haram in Makkah for over 40 years and has delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid Namira in Arafat.
Alongside his religious duties, he has been an active member of the Majlis Al Shura (Consultative Council) since 1993, including a tenure as its Speaker. Currently, he serves as President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah and is also a member of the Arabic Language Academy.
Dr. Al Humaid’s scholarly contributions have been recognized internationally, including being awarded the prestigious King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam in 2016.
His appointment marks an important moment in the Kingdom’s religious leadership, succeeding Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, who was widely considered one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential Islamic scholars in recent decades.