Abdulaziz al-Sheikh dead: Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia dies aged 84

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh, has died.

The Saudi News Agency has announced the death of the 84-year-old this morning. The funeral prayer will be held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh later today.

The Kingdom is mourning its 'leading religious scholar' with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz also directed that a prayer be performed in his honour at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and all mosques across the Kingdom.

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The Crown Prince has also extended his condolences. The Grand Mufti was also Chairman of the General Presidency of Islamic Research and Ifta, holding the rank of minister.

The Sheikh also served as the Head of the Council of Senior Scholars. Abdulaziz Al Sheikh was a member of the Al ash-Sheikh family. In 1970, he assumed leadership at the Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Mosque in Dukhna, Riyadh and was later appointed assistant professor at the College of Sharia, Mecca.

He is the third Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, following Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh and Abdulaziz Bin Baz.

Ten years ago, Al Sheikh ruled that chess was forbidden in Islam because it represented gambling and caused hatred between the players.

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