Saudi Arabia is mourning the loss of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, the kingdom’s grand mufti and one of the most influential Sunni clerics of the past quarter-century, who died on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the age of 82. His passing marks the end of a significant era in Saudi religious and political life, as the nation continues to balance its deep-rooted religious traditions with rapid social and cultural reforms.
Sheikh Abdulaziz’s death was confirmed by Saudi state media, though no cause was given. The news sent ripples across the Islamic world, drawing condolences from leaders and scholars alike. Among those expressing their sorrow was Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the General Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces, who offered his sympathies to King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the family of the late grand mufti. In his message, Haftar described Sheikh Abdulaziz as "a prominent scholarly and religious symbol who dedicated his life to serving Islamic jurisprudence and advocating for a moderate, centrist approach, based on the guidance of the righteous predecessors and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad." Haftar went on to pray for the deceased to be “enveloped in God’s vast mercy and granted a place in His spacious gardens,” expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the broader Islamic nation during this “painful loss,” according to Libyan media reports.
Sheikh Abdulaziz’s tenure as grand mufti began in 1999, when he was appointed by King Fahd. He was only the third cleric to hold the position since the founding of modern Saudi Arabia, and he served through the reigns of three kings. His role placed him at the heart of religious decision-making in a nation that is home to Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, and hosts the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which draws millions of Muslims from around the globe. As The New York Times noted, his pronouncements were closely followed not only within Saudi Arabia but across the wider Sunni Muslim world.
For much of his career, Sheikh Abdulaziz was a leading authority on Wahhabism, the strictly austere form of Islam that has shaped Saudi society for decades. This interpretation enforced gender segregation, restricted music, and imposed other puritanical social controls. He was known for his conservative stances, famously opposing women driving and gender mixing, and even describing chess as the “work of Satan.” In 2004, he condemned mobile phone cameras for their potential to “photograph and spread vice in the community,” according to Associated Press coverage. His influence was so significant that his opinions often shaped both public policy and social norms in the kingdom.
However, the grand mufti’s long tenure also coincided with a period of dramatic transformation in Saudi Arabia. With the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a decade ago, the kingdom began to liberalize socially and culturally. Movie theaters reopened, women were allowed to drive, and the powers of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice were curtailed. These reforms, while widely praised internationally, were met with resistance from some conservative quarters.
Interestingly, Sheikh Abdulaziz’s own stance softened over time. Though he once called women driving “a dangerous matter that exposes women to evil,” he later supported the policy after the ban was lifted in 2018. He also moderated his views on the mixing of men and women, which he had previously described as “evil and catastrophe.” This evolution reflected, in part, the shifting balance of power between the religious establishment and the ruling Al Saud family. As The New York Times observed, the grand mufti did not oppose the crown prince’s sweeping reforms, nor did he speak out against the crackdown on clerics who resisted the changes. His power, once formidable, quietly waned as the state asserted greater control over religious discourse.
Sheikh Abdulaziz’s legacy is also marked by his outspoken opposition to extremist violence. In 2015, he denounced ISIS and other Islamist militants—many of whom claimed to follow similar religious doctrines—as “criminals who aimed to make Islam a religion of bloodshed.” He called the Islamic State group “enemy No. 1 of Islam” and dismissed their claims to religious legitimacy, stating, “Self-proclaimed mujahedeen with their version of jihad are only distracting Muslims.” After a deadly attack in Saudi Arabia in 2014, he emphasized national unity, saying, “We live in one state, secure and stable under a single government that brings us together.”
Yet, his tenure was not without controversy. Sheikh Abdulaziz made remarks that drew criticism from both within and outside the Muslim world. In 2012, he reportedly stated it was “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region” when asked about Christian churches in Kuwait—a comment that was later walked back by those around him after it sparked outrage among Christian leaders. He also made sectarian comments about Shiite Muslims, particularly after Iran’s supreme leader criticized Saudi Arabia’s handling of the 2015 Hajj tragedy, which killed over 2,400 pilgrims. “We must understand they are not Muslims, for they are the descendants of Majuws, and their enmity toward Muslims, especially the Sunnis, is very old,” he reportedly said, using a term that refers to Zoroastrians.
Despite the controversies, even his critics acknowledged the grand mufti’s significant role in shaping the religious and social landscape of Saudi Arabia during a time of profound change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he issued religious guidance supporting public health measures, warning that those who ignored social distancing and other precautions “have committed a great sin because it can ... lead to the loss of innocent lives or leave people with serious complications.”
Funeral prayers for Sheikh Abdulaziz were held across the kingdom, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself leading the prayers in Riyadh on Tuesday night. The Saudi Royal Court, in an official statement, said, “With his passing, the kingdom and the Islamic world have lost a distinguished scholar who made significant contributions to the service of Islam and Muslims.”
Sheikh Abdulaziz, who became blind as a young man, leaves behind a complex legacy. He was a steadfast ally of the Al Saud family and a key figure in the long intertwining of Saudi political and religious power. His life and career spanned an era when the kingdom moved from strict religious conservatism toward a more open—though still deeply religious—society. As Saudi Arabia continues to chart its path, the influence of its late grand mufti will be felt for years to come, both in the policies he helped shape and the debates he helped spark.
