Appointed as the fourth Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia on 22 October 2025, Salih al-Fawzan stands as a prominent scholar within the Salafi movement. Born in 1935 in Al Shimasiyah, he has spent decades shaping Islamic jurisprudence through extensive academic research, university teaching, and his ongoing service on the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta.
Academic Foundation
Al-Fawzan received his early education in Buraydah, completing his studies at Al-Faysaliyyah School before enrolling at the Institute of Knowledge in 1954. He continued his formal training at the College of Sharia in Riyadh, earning both a master's degree and a doctorate in fiqh. His postgraduate work focused specifically on inheritance law and the legal regulations concerning food within Islamic Sharīʿah.
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Following his doctoral studies, he held various teaching positions at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, covering fundamentals of religion and judiciary studies. His career includes leadership roles as director of the Higher Institute of Judiciary and head of the Supreme Court of Justice. He is a long-standing member of the Council of Senior Scholars and contributes to the fiqh council in Mecca.
Religious Advocacy and Scholarly Output
As an imam and khatib at the Prince Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Mosque, al-Fawzan maintains a consistent presence in religious life. He reaches a wide audience through the Nūr 'Alā al-Darb radio program, addressing legal inquiries. His published works include A Concise Commentary on the Book of Tawhid, al-Mulakhkhaṣ al-fiqhī, and various treatises on theology and the refutation of religious innovations.
Mentorship and Influence
During his formative years, al-Fawzan studied under Ibn Baz, the former Grand Mufti. He attended his lectures on Islamic inheritance and later worked directly under his supervision at the Fatwa Office. He credits this mentorship with instilling a methodology characterized by caution, reliance on Quranic evidence, and rigorous precision in the issuance of religious rulings.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Al Shimasiyah
- Citizenship: Saudi Arabia
- Role: Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (since 2025)
- Movement: Salafism
- Primary Education: Al-Faysaliyyah School
- Notable Work: Kitāb al-tawḥīd
- Affiliation: Council of Senior Scholars
Questions readers ask
What is Salih al-Fawzan's current position?
He has served as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia since 22 October 2025.
Where did he pursue his higher education?
He earned his degrees in fiqh from the College of Sharia in Riyadh, which is part of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.
Achievements
- Notable work: A Concise Commentary on the Book of Tawhid
- Notable work: Bayān Ḥaqīqat al-tawḥīd alladhī jāʼat bi-hi al-Rusul wa-daḥḍ al-shubuhāt allatī uthīrat ḥawlahu
- Notable work: Iʻāʻnat al-mustafīd bi-sharḥ Kitāb al-tawḥīd
- Notable work: Kitāb al-tawḥīd
- Educated at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Q136687078 and al-Fayṣalīyah School
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