Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh passes away at 82
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti and Head of the Council of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh, passed away on Tuesday, September 23, at the age of 82.
The Royal Court confirmed his death in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), noting his leadership of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta and the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League.
His funeral prayer will be held after Asr at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. By royal directive, prayers in absentia will also be performed at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and in mosques across the Kingdom.
Born in Makkah in 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz memorised the Quran at an early age, overcame the loss of his sight in his twenties, and pursued advanced Sharia studies. Appointed Grand Mufti in 1999, he served as the Kingdom’s highest religious authority for more than two decades.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended condolences to his family, the Saudi people, and Muslims worldwide, praising his lifelong dedication to Islamic scholarship.
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Kejriwal slams PM Modi over ED raids against Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora
New Delhi (PTI): AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over ED raids against Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora on Saturday, alleging the state has been "ill-treated" and "coerced" by the Centre in the last few years.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted fresh searches against Arora and some others allegedly linked to him as part of an investigation into a newly registered money laundering case, officials said. They said Arora's official residence in Chandigarh was among the five premises raided.
In a long Hindi post on X , Kejriwal charged, "Modi ji has got daily ED raids started in Punjab soon after the Bengal polls concluded. Modi ji has coerced Punjab in the last few years and ill-treated Punjabis by different means.''
Kejriwal said Mughal emperor Aurangzeb also tortured Sikh Gurus, but they saved people from him. Like Aurangzeb, he alleged, "Modi ji has dishonestly occupied various parts of the country and now reached Punjab.
"Punjab taking inspiration from the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, will face Modi ji's torture and save the whole country from it."
The former Delhi chief minister alleged that attempts were made to weaken the water rights of Punjab, take away Punjab University, rural development funds were stopped and now relentless ED raids have started.
He said AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal joined the BJP after raids by the ED at his premises. Arora also faced the ED raid but did not join the BJP; so another raid has been conducted, he alleged.
Kejriwal said the prime minister, a few years ago, "challenged" Punjab's farmers and he had to bow down, adding he has now "challenged" the whole of Punjab.
