Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz has appointed Sheikh Dr Saleh bin Abdullah Al Humaid as the new Grand Mufti of the Kingdom and Head of the Senior Council of Scholars.

He will succeed Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 82. He held the post for more than 25 years.

According to Arab media, Dr Al Humaid is widely respected across the Muslim world. He has served as the eldest and longest-serving Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Al Haram in the holy city of Makkah for over four decades. He also delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid Namira in Arafat.

In addition to his role at the Grand Mosque, he has been a member of the Majlis Al Shura (Consultative Council) since 1993, where he also served as Speaker.

Currently, Dr Al Humaid is the President of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah and a member of the Arabic Language Academy.

His scholarly contributions have earned him numerous honours, including the prestigious King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam in 2016.

His appointment marks a significant transition in Saudi Arabia’s religious leadership, as he steps into the role previously held by Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, one of the most prominent Islamic scholars of the Kingdom in recent history.