Salih al-Fawzan

Early life Saleh al-Fawzan was born on 28 September 1935 (1354 AH) in Ash-Shamasiyyah in the Al-Qassim Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, near the city of Buraydah. He belongs to the Al-Wadain branch of the Al-Shammās clan of the Ad-Dawāsir tribe. His great grandfather on his mother's side is Aba Butayn. His father died during his early childhood, and he was raised by his family. He learned the Quran, and received his initial instruction in reading and writing from local mosque's imām, Ḥamūd ibn Sulaymān At-Tilāl, who later served as a judge (Qadi) in the town of Dariyah, Al-Qassim Province of the Saudi Arabia.

Education Al-Fawzan enrolled in the public school in Ash-Shamasiyyah in 1950 (1369 AH). He completed his education at Al-Faysaliyyah School in Buraydah in 1952 (1371 AH), and was appointed as a primary school teacher. He then enrolled at the Ma'had Al-'Ilmī (The Institute of Knowledge) in Buraydah when it opened in 1954 (1373 AH), and graduated from it in 1958 (1377 AH). He joined the Kullīyat Ash-Sharīʿah (The College of Sharīʿah) in Riyadh and graduated in 1962 (1381 AH).

Career After completing his doctorate, Al-Fawzan was appointed as a teacher at the Ma'had al-'Ilmī (Institute of Knowledge) at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. He subsequently taught at Kullīyat al-Sharī'a (The College of Sharia), then transferred to teach in the postgraduate program at Kullīyat Uṣūl al-Dīn (College of Fundamentals of Religion), then at the Ma'had al-'Ālī li al-Qaḍā (Higher Institute of Judiciary), where he was later appointed director. He later served as the head of Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court of Justice before returning to teaching following the conclusion of his tenure. Saudi Arabia's highest religious body, which directly advises the King of Saudi Arabia. He is also currently a member of the fiqh council in Mecca, which is affiliated with the Muslim World League, and of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, a subcommittee of the Council of Senior Scholars responsible for issuing legal opinions (fatwas) in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and preparing research papers for the Council.

Al-Fawzan serves on the Supervisory Committee for Preachers during Hajj and is an imam, khatib and teacher at the Prince Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Mosque in Riyadh. He is one of the scholars featured on the Nūr 'Alā al-Darb radio program, described as one of the oldest and most famous programs broadcast on the Quran radio channel, where senior scholars answer questions and issue fatwas. He also contributes regularly to scholarly journals through research, studies, letters, and fatwas, supervises academic theses at the master’s and doctoral levels, and teaches students of Islamic knowledge in ongoing lessons and study circles.

When al-Fawzan began working at Dār Al-Iftā' (The Fatwa Office), Ibn Baz served as his supervisor and director. Al-Fawzan later stated that he benefited from Ibn Baz in various aspects of Islamic scholarship, particularly in precision and caution when issuing fatwas, striving for accuracy and correctness, and maintaining patience and perseverance in scholarly work. He also learned from him the importance of grounding legal opinions in evidence from the Quran and Sunna, and of exercising responsibility and restraint in delivering religious rulings.

Al-Fawzan has issued other rulings that have drawn attention, including a 2016 fatwa reportedly prohibiting the mobile game Pokémon Go, which he classified as a form of gambling.

In 2017, he was reported to have referred to Shia Muslims as "brothers of Satan" and stated that they "lie about God, his prophet, and the consensus of Muslims", remarks that have been cited as an example of sectarian rhetoric among some Saudi clerics.

In 2023, Saleh al-Fawzan denied reports that he issued a fatwa banning open buffets, clarifying on his website that he had only commented that food of unspecified quantity should not be sold without specification. His statement addressed restaurants where customers pay a fixed price for unspecified portions.

Al-Fawzan's supporters argue that his statements reflect traditional jurisprudence and adherence to Salafi teachings while critics contend that his pronouncements promote intolerance and discourage reform.

Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia On 22 October 2025, under recommendation by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, King Salman appointed al-Fawzan as Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, succeeding Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh.