al-Sheikh had held the position of Grand Mufti since 1999. While Saudi Arabia has made small steps to modernize society, al-Sheikh has held on to his extremely conservative and ultra-religious interpretation of Islam.
Among other things, he believed that women should not be allowed to work in stores, that chess is not compatible with Islam, that concerts and cinemas are harmful and that the former Twitter is the root of all evil.
In a statement from the royal house, it is stated that the world has lost a "prominent scholar", reports the Saudi TV station al-Arabiya. On Tuesday, a funeral prayer will be held for al-Sheikh in the capital Riyadh.
A Grand Mufti is appointed and authorized by the state to be the highest advisor on matters of Islamic practice and religious law, sharia. The Grand Mufti is also the one who issues so-called fatwas.
