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.
He succeeds Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82 after serving in the role for more than 25 years.
Arab media describe Dr. Al Humaid as one of the most respected scholars in the Muslim world. He has been serving as the senior Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Al Haram in Makkah for over four decades and has also delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid Namira in Arafat.
Beyond his religious responsibilities, Dr. Al Humaid has played an active role in governance, having been part of the Majlis Al Shura since 1993, including a term as its Speaker.
He is currently President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah and a member of the Arabic Language Academy.
In recognition of his scholarly work, he was awarded the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam in 2016.
His appointment marks a significant transition in Saudi Arabia’s religious leadership following the long tenure of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, widely seen as one of the Kingdom’s most influential Islamic scholars.