Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh (1893-1969) was the Grand Mufti, or highest religious authority, in Saudi Arabia from 1953 to his death in 1969.

Background

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh was born in 1893 to the noted family of Saudi religious scholars, the Al ash-Sheikh, descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the influential Sunni Muslim reformer.^[1]

Role as Grand Mufti

As Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1969,^[2] he dominated Saudi religious policy in the 1950s and 1960s.^{[3] [4]} He died in 1969.^[1]

He was also one of the most influential Sunni Muslim scholars of the 20th century.^[3]

Other roles

He had served as President of the Constituent Council of the Muslim World League, thereby ensuring a Sunni Muslim orientation for the organization's missionary activities.^[4]

Family

He was the father of Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh^[4], Saudi Minister of Justice from 1975 to 1990^[5][6] and Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh,^[7] Saudi Minister of Justice from 1993 to 2009.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Commins, David Dean (2006). The Wahhabi mission and Saudi Arabia. p. 210. ISBN 1845110803. 
2. ^ Hatina, Meir (2008). Guardians of faith in modern times: ʻulamaʼ in the Middle East. p. 221. ISBN 978-9004169531. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Amin, Camron Michael; Fortna, Benjamin C.; Frierson, Elizabeth Brown (2006). The modern Middle East: a sourcebook for history. p. 270. ISBN 9780199262090.  He was one of King Faisal's closest advisers and had decisively intervened in the dispute between Faisal and King Saud, which led to the latter's abdication.
4. ^ ^{a b c} Gold, Dore (2004). Hatred's kingdom: how Saudi Arabia supports the new global terrorism. p. 76,80–81. ISBN 9780895260611. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Baamir, Abdulrahman Yahya (2010). Shari'a Law in Commercial and Banking Arbitration. p. 29 (n. 87). ISBN 9781409403777. 
6. ^ Long, David E. (1976). Saudi Arabia. p. 41. ISBN 0803906609. ; Who's who in Saudi Arabia 1983-1984, Volume 3. Jeddah: Tihama. 1984. p. 32. 
7. ^ "H.E Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh". Majlis ash-Shura, Government of Saudi Arabia. http://www.shura.gov.sa/wps/wcm/connect/ShuraEn/internet/CV/Abdullah+Bin+Mohammed+Bin+Ibrahim+Al-Sheikh/. Retrieved 15 July 2011.