"Saudi Arabia has named Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan as the country's new grand mufti, the kingdom's top religious scholar. The state-run Saudi Press Agency reported that King Salman appointed the 90-year-old to the position late on Wednesday, based on a recommendation from his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. list of 2 itemsend of list Born in Saudi Arabias al-Qassim province, Sheikh Saleh studied the Quran with a local imam after his father's death and gained prominence through the Noor ala al-Darb (Light the Way) radio show, as well as his books and his television appearances."
"Sheikh Saleh has faced criticism in Western media in the past for some of his pronouncements. When asked if Sunni Muslims should view Shia Muslims as their brothers, he allegedly responded that they were brothers of Satan, according to Human Rights Watch in 2017. Such comments about the Shia from religious leaders in Saudi Arabia are common, particularly amid political tensions with Iran. Sheikh Saleh also criticised Yemen's Houthi rebels for firing missiles towards holy sites in the kingdom."
"His fatwas, which have been shared via social media, include a 2016 order to ban the mobile game Pokemon Go as a form of gambling. Under Crown Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia owns a sizeable stake in Nintendo and the gaming division of Niantic, the maker of Pokemon Go. In 2003, Sheikh Saleh was quoted as saying: Slavery is a part of Islam. Slavery is part of jihad, and jihad will remain as long as there is Islam. Jihad means an inner spiritual struggle."
Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan, age 90, has been appointed grand mufti of Saudi Arabia by King Salman on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's recommendation. He was born in al-Qassim province, studied the Quran with a local imam after his father's death, and gained prominence through the Noor ala al-Darb radio show, books, and television appearances. He has issued controversial fatwas, including calling to ban Pokemon Go, and has been criticized for sectarian remarks about Shia Muslims. He condemned Houthi missile strikes toward Saudi holy sites and succeeds Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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