DUBAI, Oct 23: Saudi Arabia has appointed prominent ultraconservative scholar Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan as the kingdom’s new Grand Mufti, its top religious authority, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Wednesday.
The appointment, made by King Salman on the recommendation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comes after the death last month of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, who held the post for 25 years.
Born in Al-Qassim province in 1935, Sheikh Saleh studied the Quran with a local imam following his father’s death and went on to become one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential religious figures. He gained prominence through his long-running radio program “Noor ala al-Darb” (Light the Way), numerous books, and television appearances. His fatwas religious rulings have been widely circulated across traditional and social media.
Over the years, Sheikh Saleh has faced criticism in the West for hardline positions, including remarks against Shiite Muslims and his 2003 statement describing slavery as part of Islam and jihad. He was also linked to a 2016 fatwa banning the mobile game Pokémon Go as a form of gambling.
Despite such controversies, Sheikh Saleh remains a respected figure among conservative circles in the kingdom. His appointment reinforces the enduring influence of the Wahhabi school of thought, rooted in the teachings of Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab, whose descendants long dominated the post of Grand Mufti.
The position holds immense sway in the Sunni Muslim world, especially as Saudi Arabia home to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina serves as the spiritual center of Islam.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom has been undergoing rapid social liberalization, allowing women to drive, reopening cinemas, and diversifying its economy beyond oil. Sheikh Saleh’s appointment signals the leadership’s continued balancing act between modern reforms and religious conservatism.