Sheikh Bandar Balilah, Imam and Khatib of Masjid al-Haram, has been appointed as the official Mufti of the Makkah region. The appointment was announced on Tuesday with the approval of Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Dr. Saleh Al-Fawzan. The decision is part of a broader initiative dividing the country into eight regions, each overseen by a senior scholar to ensure reliable sources for issuing fatwas.

Sheikh Al-Fawzan congratulated Sheikh Balilah, noting that his experience and knowledge would enrich religious research and benefit worshippers and pilgrims visiting the two holy mosques. Sheikh Balilah was born in Makkah in 1975 and holds degrees in Islamic law and jurisprudence from Umm al-Qura University and a PhD from the University of Madinah.

Before his new appointment, Sheikh Balilah served as Imam of Masjid al-Haram since 2013 and previously led prayers in several other mosques in Makkah.