RIYADH: Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and one of the most influential Islamic scholars in the Muslim world, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81. A towering religious figure, Sheikh Abdulaziz held the position of Grand Mufti the Kingdom’s highest religious authority as well as the head of the Council of Senior Scholars, the supreme Islamic body in Saudi Arabia. Born in 1943, Sheikh Abdulaziz came from a long line of scholars and rose to prominence through years of academic and religious service. SPA reported that funeral prayers for Sheikh Abdulaziz will take place at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh following the Asr prayer. With his passing, Saudi Arabia bids farewell to a religious leader whose influence shaped generations.