Subhechcha Ganguly 
The Saudi Royal Court on Tuesday announced the death of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, the Kingdom’s top religious authority, at the age of 82.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing his condolences on Wednesday, said, “Deepest condolences on the sad demise of the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Eminence Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kingdom and its people in this moment of grief.”
Funeral prayers were scheduled at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh following the Asr prayer. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, ordered funeral prayers in absentia at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and in mosques across the Kingdom.
In a statement, the Royal Court hailed Sheikh Abdulaziz’s lifelong contributions to Islam, calling him a “distinguished scholar” whose passing marks a great loss for the Kingdom and the wider Muslim world. Both King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conveyed their condolences to his family, the Saudi people, and Muslims globally.
Born on November 30, 1940, in Mecca, Sheikh Abdulaziz came from the Al ash-Sheikh family, a lineage renowned for Islamic scholarship. He memorised the Quran at an early age and studied under respected scholars before becoming a professor of Islamic jurisprudence at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University.
Appointed Grand Mufti in 1999 following the death of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz, he served in the role until his passing. As the highest religious authority in the Kingdom, he issued fatwas, interpreted Sharia law, and guided the Muslim community on matters of faith and society. He also headed the Council of Senior Scholars, the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, and the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.
Sheikh Abdulaziz was known for fostering unity within the Muslim Ummah and contributing to interfaith dialogue, extending his influence beyond Saudi Arabia to the Gulf and the wider Islamic world. His death has drawn condolences from global leaders and prominent religious figures, including Egypt’s Grand Mufti Dr. Shawky Allam.
