Biography of His Eminence the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Aali ash-Shaykh

Position: General Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of the Administration for Knowledge-based Research and Islamic Rulings.

Date of Appointment as Mufti: 1/29/1420 A.H.

Positions in which he worked: He worked as an assistant professor for the Islamic University of Muhammad bin Sa’ood then as a member of the Permanent Committee for Research and Islamic Rulings.

Date of Birth: 1360 A.H.

His lineage: ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abdillah bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Lateef Aali ash-Shaykh

His childhood: He was born in ar-Riyaadh in 1360 A.H. and since his youth he was stricken with weak eyesight until he totally lost it in 1381 A.H.

His seeking knowledge: He began seeking knowledge by studying the Noble Quran in the Ahmad bin Sanaan mosque where he memorized it at the age of twelve. Then he sought knowledge with the scholars in their study circles. In the year 1375 A.H. he enrolled into the institute Imaam ad-Da’wah and graduated from the college of Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) in 1383 /1384 A.H. He would also attend some of the scholars' study circles in the various mosques.

His Accomplishments: His life of knowledge began after graduating from the college of Islamic Law in the year 1384 A.H. He worked as a teacher in the same institute until the year 1392 A.H. He then transferred to teach in the college of Islamic Law in ar-Riyaadh and remained there until the year 1412 A.H. Then he became a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings and in the year 1416 A.H. he was appointed as a representative for the General Mufti of the Kingdom. Before that he was appointed as a member of the Council for the Organization of Major Scholars in 1407 A.H.

His Efforts in addition to his work: He held the position of Imam for the Friday prayer in the ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdil-Lateef mosque since 1390 A.H. then he transferred into the Imam position of the al-Imaam Turkee bin ‘Abdillah mosque in 1412 A.H. He has given the sermon in Nimrah mosque on the day of ‘Arafah since 1402 A.H. During his time teaching at the college of Islamic Law he supervised some of the university doctorates, participated in various panels, in addition to participating in Islamic rulings on the program Noor ‘alaa ad-Darb since 1414 A.H. He held several study circles in the al-Imaam Turkee mosque in ar-Riyaadh and was active in participating in several conferences and lectures as well as being involved in Da’wah (Islamic Propagation) in ar-Riyaadh and at-Taaif.

Source: http://www.mufti.af.org.sa/node/1456
Translated by: Thomas Maldonado