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| Saudi Council of Senior Scholars | |
|---|---|
| Name | Council of Senior Scholars |
| Native name | هيئة كبار العلماء |
| Formed | 1971 |
| Jurisdiction | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Headquarters | Riyadh |
| Chief1 name | Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia |
| Chief1 position | President (ex officio) |
Saudi Council of Senior Scholars
The Council of Senior Scholars is the preeminent body of religious jurists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, advising the monarchy and shaping Wahhabism-aligned Islamic jurisprudence through fatwas, legal opinions, and counsel to the King of Saudi Arabia. It operates in close relation to institutions such as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance, the Shura Council (Saudi Arabia), and the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. The Council has interacted with figures like King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and jurists such as Abdulaziz bin Baz, Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymin, and Saleh al-Luhaidan.
The Council traces origins to advisory ulama councils active during the reign of Abdulaziz Ibn Saud and institutionalization under King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in the 20th century, linked to modernization debates involving royalty and scholars after events like the 1960s oil boom and diplomatic shifts with United States–Saudi Arabia relations. Early members included clerics who had studied in centers such as Mecca, Medina, Al-Azhar University, and contacts with movements in Najd and Hejaz. Its formation paralleled developments such as the expansion of the Salafi movement, the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the Grand Mosque seizure (1979) in Mecca, and subsequent domestic policy responses involving security organs like the Saudi Arabian National Guard.
The Council's membership traditionally comprises senior muftis and fuqaha drawn from provincial centers such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Taif, and the holy cities Mecca and Medina. The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia serves ex officio as head, a role historically held by figures like Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh, Abdulaziz bin Baz, and Abdullah al-Mutlaq. Appointments are made by royal decree from the King of Saudi Arabia and coordinated with offices including the Diwan of the King and the Royal Court (Saudi Arabia). The Council has included jurists educated in seminaries such as the Islamic University of Madinah and influenced by scholars linked to Najd theology and contacts with jurists from Egypt, Saudi clerical networks, and diaspora communities in London, Paris, and Cairo.
Officially charged with issuing fatwas, advising on matters of Sharīʿah, and responding to royal inquiries, the Council interacts with bodies such as the Ministry of Justice (Saudi Arabia), the Board of Grievances (Saudi Arabia), and the Saudi Basic Law of Governance. It furnishes opinions on personal status, commercial contracts, banking instruments like Islamic banking, and public morality issues overseen by the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. The Council's rulings have informed measures tied to security concerns addressed by the Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia), initiatives linked to Vision 2030 (Saudi Arabia), and cultural reforms coordinated with the Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia).
Council opinions have shaped implementation of the Saudi legal system, including courts such as the Specialized Criminal Court (Saudi Arabia), the Public Prosecution (Saudi Arabia), and family courts handling cases under Sharīʿah law. Its pronouncements have affected policies on topics debated in forums like the Shura Council (Saudi Arabia), international agreements including Gulf Cooperation Council consultations, and administrative reforms promoted by leaders like Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Decisions referencing classical jurists such as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya have been used to justify legislation on media overseen by the Ministry of Media (Saudi Arabia), educational directives involving the Ministry of Education (Saudi Arabia), and regulations affecting labor overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
The Council issued high-profile rulings on subjects such as issuance of fatwas by private individuals, the permissibility of modern banking instruments under Islamic finance, and social issues including women’s participation in public life, referencing precedents from jurists like Ibn Abdul-Wahhab and citing institutions like the Grand Mosque (Mecca). Notable fatwas were associated with guidance during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and responses to transnational movements like Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The Council has produced edicts affecting pilgrim regulation under the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and rulings on the use of technologies in religious rites debated at venues such as King Abdulaziz University.
The Council has faced criticism from reformers, human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, intellectuals in Cairo and Beirut, and activists in cities like Jeddah and Riyadh for conservatism, gender rulings, and positions on freedom of expression linked to cases involving figures connected to Saudi dissidents and journalists in contexts such as the Jamal Khashoggi affair. Internal disputes among members like Saleh al-Luhaidan and tensions with political modernization projects associated with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been public. International scholars at institutions like Harvard University, Cambridge University, and Georgetown University have debated the Council’s role in state legitimization and law reform.
Under recent leadership changes and royal decrees, the Council’s composition and remit have been adjusted in tandem with initiatives such as Vision 2030 (Saudi Arabia), cultural projects managed by the Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia), and economic reforms involving the Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia). Appointments by King Salman and directives tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reflect an ongoing recalibration balancing clerical authority, institutions like the Shura Council (Saudi Arabia), and international engagement with partners such as United States–Saudi Arabia relations and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Debates continue among jurists trained at Al-Azhar University, Islamic University of Madinah, and seminaries in Najd about the Council’s future role in adjudication, education, and public policy.