Riyadh street named after ex-Saudi grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz
Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has ordered that a major street in the capital city of Riyadh be named after the late Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars. This directive comes as a token of honour and […]
Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has ordered that a major street in the capital city of Riyadh be named after the late Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars.
This directive comes as a token of honour and appreciation for Al-Sheikh’s scholarly stature and his outstanding contributions in serving the nation, Islam, and the Muslims.
The late Sheikh dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and teaching of Islamic jurisprudence and guiding people, and his scholarly and practical contributions had a profound impact on strengthening the standing of Islamic jurisprudence and its teaching.
Al-Sheikh died in Riyadh on September 23, 2025.
Sheikh Abdulaziz served as the head of the Council of Senior Scholars, Saudi Arabia’s top religious body. In June 1999, King Fahd appointed him as the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia as the successor of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Baz.
He was a member of the Al ash-Sheikh family, a lineage with deep roots in Islamic scholarship.
Born on November 30, 1943, in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz memorized the Holy Qur’an at an early age. He lost his sight at 17 and grew up as an orphan, yet remained steadfast in his pursuit of knowledge. (Saudi Gazette)
In 1961, he enrolled in the College of Shariah at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, graduating in 1965 with a specialisation in Arabic and Islamic Shariah.
He was widely respected across the Islamic world. His sermons and rulings shaped public thought and policy in Saudi Arabia. His guidance reached far beyond the Kingdom. Many Muslims followed his teachings for decades.