Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, Voice of Conservative Islam in Saudi Arabia, Passes Away
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia is mourning the loss of one of its most prominent religious figures. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom for over two decades, passed away on Tuesday, marking the end of an era deeply intertwined with the kingdom’s conservative Islamic traditions. He was believed to be in his early to mid-80s.
Appointed as Grand Mufti in 1999, Sheikh Abdulaziz was the head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas. His interpretations and religious rulings influenced millions within Saudi Arabia and across the Islamic world. For years, he served as the ultimate voice of Islamic law in the kingdom, guiding religious and social norms in Saudi society.
In a statement issued by the Saudi royal court, his death was described as “a loss for the Kingdom and the wider Islamic world.” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman led the funeral prayers, underlining the mufti’s status and his contributions to Islamic scholarship and national unity. No successor has yet been announced.
The Conservative Voice of a Changing Kingdom
Sheikh Abdulaziz was known for his unwavering conservative views. Through his popular radio program, he issued fatwas on everything from gender mixing to games and social media. He denounced chess as “the work of Satan” and described Twitter as a tool of “harm and evil.” He condemned political movements like Hamas and Hezbollah, frequently attracting controversy for his blunt religious pronouncements.
A direct descendant of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab — the 18th-century scholar whose teachings form the foundation of Saudi Wahhabism — Sheikh Abdulaziz’s influence represented the long-standing alliance between the ruling Al Saud family and the powerful Al-Sheikh religious lineage.
From Religious Authority to Symbolic Role
Yet, as Saudi Arabia began a journey of rapid social transformation under Crown Prince Mohammed’s Vision 2030, the grand mufti’s influence waned. While he remained the highest clerical authority, the religious police were stripped of power, and sweeping reforms redefined the social contract of the kingdom. Sheikh Abdulaziz lent his religious approval to policies like lifting the ban on women driving, curbing the mutaween (religious police), and allowing greater gender integration.
Critics and observers note that his later years were marked more by alignment with state policies than independent religious guidance. His role evolved into one of legitimizing political decisions rather than shaping them.
The era of religious dominance in public life — once symbolized by figures like Sheikh Abdulaziz — has largely receded. The state’s consolidation of religious messaging, coupled with an embrace of modernization, has created a new Saudi Arabia where clerical voices play a far more symbolic role.
A Pivotal Moment for Saudi Religious Identity
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh’s death symbolizes more than the loss of a man — it marks the closing of a chapter in Saudi Arabia’s religious narrative. The question that now lingers is not only who will succeed him, but whether the next grand mufti will serve as a true religious authority or continue as a ceremonial figure in a nation increasingly defined by rapid modernization and state-led reform.
In the end, Sheikh Abdulaziz was not just a religious scholar — he was a symbol of a generation that believed in the absolute authority of faith over every facet of life. As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its bold new vision, it does so with one less voice from the old guard. His passing is a moment for reflection, not only for Saudis but for the entire Muslim world. It reminds us that every era must give way to change — and every voice, no matter how powerful, must eventually rest.