Saudi Arabia has appointed Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan as the new Grand Mufti. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), King Salman bin Abdulaziz approved the appointment late Wednesday following a recommendation by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
90-year-old Sheikh Saleh succeeds Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, who passed away in September after serving as Grand Mufti for over 25 years.
Born in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Qassim province, Sheikh Saleh memorised the Quran under the guidance of a local imam following his father’s death. He rose to national prominence through his participation in the long-running radio program Noor ala al-Darb (“Light the Way”), in addition to authoring several religious books and appearing regularly on television.
Throughout his career, Sheikh Saleh has been known for his conservative interpretations of Islamic law. Some of his past remarks have drawn criticism internationally — notably his alleged statement in 2017 that Shia Muslims were “brothers of Satan,” as reported by Human Rights Watch. He has also issued rulings against the Yemeni Houthi rebels, condemning their missile attacks on Saudi Arabia’s holy sites.
In 2016, Sheikh Saleh issued a fatwa banning the mobile game Pokémon Go, calling it a form of gambling. Interestingly, under Crown Prince Mohammed’s Vision 2030 diversification efforts, Saudi Arabia has since invested in Nintendo and Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go.
Sheikh Saleh has long been a prominent cleric within the kingdom’s Council of Senior Scholars, often expressing traditionalist views aligned with the religious establishment. In 2003, he was quoted as saying that “slavery is part of jihad,” a statement that sparked debate in international media.
