Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Wednesday appointed Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al Fawzan as the Kingdom’s new Grand Mufti, following the death of his predecessor, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, who passed away on September 23 at the age of 82.
Sheikh Al Fawzan, 90, will also serve as Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and head of the General Presidency of Islamic Research and Ifta, with the rank of a minister, according to a royal decree reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The appointment was made on the recommendation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Born in 1935 in the Qassim province, Sheikh Saleh Al Fawzan lost his father at an early age and was raised by his extended family. He studied the Quran under a local imam, Sheikh Hammoud bin Suleiman Al Tilal, before completing his formal education. After beginning his career as a schoolteacher, he joined the College of Sharia in Riyadh, where he earned his degree in 1961, followed by a master’s and doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh).
Over the decades, Sheikh Al Fawzan became one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential religious figures. He is well-known for his radio show Noor ala al-Darb (“Light the Way”), his television appearances, and numerous books and fatwas. His influence extends across the Sunni Muslim world, given Saudi Arabia’s role as the custodian of Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina.
However, Sheikh Al Fawzan has also drawn international criticism for several controversial statements. In 2017, Human Rights Watch cited remarks in which he said that Shiite Muslims “are brothers of Satan,” and that they “lie about God, his prophet, and the consensus of Muslims.” He has also condemned Yemen’s Houthi rebels for targeting Saudi holy sites and, in 2003, was quoted saying, “Slavery is a part of Islam. Slavery is part of jihad, and jihad will remain as long as there is Islam.”
In 2016, a fatwa attributed to him declared the popular mobile game Pokémon Go forbidden, calling it a form of gambling. Ironically, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, has since acquired significant stakes in gaming companies, including Nintendo and Niantic, the makers of Pokémon Go.
