After 35 years Grand Mufti retires from delivering Haj sermon

Makkah, Sep 10 (IANS) After 35 years of delivering sermons and leading prayers in Namirah Mosque in Saudi Arabia, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh on Saturday stepped down citing health reasons.

Al-Asheikh used to deliver the sermon and lead the prayers at Namirah Mosque, which is also known as the-one-day-mosque, on the day of the grand stand in Arafat -- a granite hill also known as the Mount of Mercy.

The Grand Mufti has been doing this since 1981 but has decided to step down this year because his health was no longer permitting him to carry on, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Quoting reliable sources, it said the Mufti might probably be replaced by Sheikh Salih bin Humaid, member of the Senior Scholars' Commission and Ifta Council and imam of the Grand Mosque.