Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, has died at the age of 84. The Saudi News Agency confirmed his passing this morning. A funeral prayer is scheduled to take place later today at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.

In a show of respect, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has ordered that prayers be held for the late Mufti at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and in mosques throughout the Kingdom.

Al al-Sheikh was a prominent figure in Saudi religious leadership, serving as the Head of the Council of Senior Scholars. He was a member of the influential Al ash-Sheikh family. His career began in 1970 when he took on the role of leader at the Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Mosque in Dukhna, Riyadh. He later became an assistant professor at the College of Sharia in Mecca.

Al al-Sheikh was the third Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, following in the footsteps of Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh and Abdulaziz Bin Baz. Notably, he made headlines a decade ago when he declared chess to be forbidden in Islam, citing concerns that it represented gambling and fostered animosity among players.