Saleh Al-Maghamsi

Saleh bin Awad al-Maghamsi (born 17 November 1963) is a Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar, preacher, and imam. He is known for his work in Quran exegesis, religious education, and public preaching. In February 2026, he was appointed by a royal decree as an imam of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, where he led his first Isha prayer on 21 February 2026. He has also served as imam and Khatib at Quba Mosque. He was a student of Ibn Baz among other Islamic scholars. Throughout his education he received advanced religious training under prominent Saudi scholars, including Ibn Baz, Al-Uthaymin, Abu Bakr al-Jaza'iri and Mohammed Attia Salem. Several years later (circa 1994) he became a member of the Islamic Awareness Commission for Hajj. In 1422H (circa 2001) he was appointed as Khatib (giving Friday khutbah sermon) at King Abdul Aziz Mosque in Al-Madina Al-Munawara,

Al Maghamsi has been described as having close connections with King Salman. According to Foreign Policy magazine,

The new Saudi king recently served as head of the supervisory board for a Medina research center directed by Maghamsi. A year after Maghamsi’s offensive comments [on Osama bin Laden], Salman sponsored and attended a large cultural festival organized by the preacher. Maghamsi also advises two of Salman’s sons, one of whom took an adoring “selfie” with the preacher last year.

TV programs Pros of interpretation — a weekly program in the interpretation, on Al-Majd channel. Kattouf Dania — televised monthly meeting held every second Monday on TV channel Al-Majd Bahrain Complex — thirteen half-hour episode series on Al-Majd channel; recorded in three days Secretary place — on the Qatari channel every Wednesday Tafseer — on Noor Dubai channel

Views and controversy On March 27, 2012 on Qatar Television, Al-Maghamsi stated that although "Osama bin Laden's organization" did great harm to the Muslim nation (umma) he "has more sanctity and honor than any infidel"—infidel being defined as “Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, apostates, and atheists”.

In 2014, during the controversy over whether women may be allowed to reveal their faces in public, i.e. need not wear a niqāb, Al-Maghamsi said it is "always better to be modest though he admitted that not all scholars agree that women should not reveal their faces". In 2016, Al-Maghamasi stated that listening to music is not haram, asserting, "The nation is in dire need of renewal and modernization, and I strongly believe in this, whether people accept my views or not." Additionally, he expressed the view that non-Muslims should be permitted to enter the city of Mecca.

Al-Maghamsi has also come out in favor of "taking care of historical mosques", stating that such a practice is not unorthodox but religious and an act of worship.