Saudi Arabia’s top religious cleric, the Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, passed on at the age of 82.

The Royal Court announced his death on Tuesday, marking the end of an era in Saudi Arabia’s religious leadership.

He served as the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti since 1999.

“The kingdom and the Muslim world have lost a distinguished scholar, who made significant contributions in the service of science, Islam, and Muslims,” said the statement.

The funeral prayers would be held in the capital, Riyadh, and other mosques across the kingdom later Tuesday, it added.

The Grand Mufti in Muslim-dominated countries interprets Islamic laws and issues fatwas, which are religious edicts.

Mr Al-Sheikh held conservative views, even as the kingdom, known for following the strict Wahhabi school of Islam, began introducing slow-paced changes, such as allowing foreign investments and loosening certain laws.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began to steer the country towards what he said was “moderate Islam” and reduce the influence of the country’s hard-line religious establishment.

In 2011, Mr Al-Sheikh opposed employing women in shops, describing it as a crime and disrespectful.

Yet, he hailed then-king Abdullah when he allowed women to run for municipal elections and be appointed as members of parliament.

In 2016, the mufti declared chess “forbidden” in Islam, saying it wastes time and stirs enmity among people.

A year later, the kingdom hosted an international chess tournament as it began to take significant steps toward opening up.

In 2017, Mr Al-Sheikh described cinemas and concerts as harmful and corrupting.

Shortly after, the country opened its first commercial movie theatre after a 35-year ban.

(dpa/NAN)