صالح الفوزان.. المفتي الرابع للمملكة بأمر ملكي

King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, issued a royal decree appointing Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah al-Fawzan as the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President of the Council of Senior Scholars, and General President of the General Presidency for Scientific Research and Ifta, with the rank of Minister.

The royal decree came based on what was presented by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

With this, al-Fawzan becomes the fourth mufti of the kingdom, following Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz, and Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, may Allah have mercy on them.

Mufti al-Fawzan, born in the town of Al-Shamasiyah south of Al-Qassim in 1354 AH, is well-versed in jurisprudence and a reference in Sharia objectives. He memorized the Holy Quran and learned the basics of reading and writing under the Imam of the town's mosque. He joined the Scientific Institute in Buraidah and graduated in 1377 AH, obtaining a bachelor's degree from the College of Sharia at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in 1381 AH. He earned a master's degree in jurisprudence titled "The Acceptable Investigations in Mandatory Research." He also received a doctorate in jurisprudence titled "The Rules of Food in Islamic Law."

Sheikh al-Fawzan worked in teaching at the elementary level, joined scientific institutes, and after graduating from university, he taught at the Scientific Institute in Riyadh for two years, then was transferred to teach at the College of Sharia, then the College of Fundamentals of Religion, and served as the director of the Higher Institute of Judiciary, later becoming a teacher at the same institute.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen praised him for his jurisprudence and noted that he is comfortable with his fatwas, and historians regarded him as an example of a godly scholar, one of the most committed to the Salafi methodology.

He obtained membership in the Council of Senior Scholars and the Fiqh Academy in Mecca, participated in various conferences both domestically and internationally, worked in teaching at mosques, and delivered lectures in various venues including schools and mosques. He is also a member of the Committee for Supervising Preachers in Islamic Awareness during the Hajj season.

Sheikh al-Fawzan has authored several works in the fields of jurisprudence and creed, including; "The Rules of Food in Islamic Law" and "The Acceptable Investigations in Mandatory Research." Among his works are "Investing Zakat Funds," "Cosmetic Surgery: A Medical Presentation and Detailed Jurisprudential Study," "Distributing Zakat in the Call to Allah: A Foundational and Practical Study," "Guidance to Correct Belief," "The Jurisprudential Summary," "Explanation of the Book of Monotheism by Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab," and "Clarification of the Mistakes of Some Writers."