Imam Of Masjid Al Haram – Masjid al-Haram, also known as the Grand Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, stands as a sacred edifice enclosing the Kaaba in Mecca, within the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia. It holds a place of unparalleled importance as a pilgrimage site during the Hajj, an obligation for every Muslim, and is also the central location for the ʿUmrah, a lesser pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time of the year. Both pilgrimages involve the act of circumambulating the Kaaba within the mosque’s premises. The Great Mosque is not only home to the Kaaba but also houses other significant sites, including the revered Black Stone, the Zamzam Well, Maqam Ibrahim, and the symbolic hills of Safa and Marwa.
Al-Masjid an-Nabawī, also known as The Prophet’s Mosque or Mosque of the Prophet, holds a special place in Islamic history. It was the second mosque established by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Medina, following the Mosque of Quba. This mosque ranks as the second-largest mosque globally and is considered the second holiest site in Islam, trailing only the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, located in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. Positioned at the heart of Medina, it remains a prominent destination for pilgrims and falls under the guardianship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Here are the Imams leading these two mosques.
The Imams Of Masjid al-Haram
Sheikh Abdul Rehman Al-Sudais, #1 Imam Of Masjid al-Haram
Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz al-Sudais, more commonly referred to as Al-Sudais, holds several esteemed roles within the Islamic community. He serves as one of the nine Imams at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, situated in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. In addition to his responsibilities as an Imam, Al-Sudais also holds the distinguished position of President of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.
Furthermore, he is widely recognized and revered as a prominent Qāriʾ, a skilled reciter of the Qur’an. His contributions to Islamic scholarship and spirituality were acknowledged when he received the prestigious “Islamic Personality Of the Year” award at the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award ceremony in 2005.
Keynotes
- He was born in 1961 in Qassim
- He memorised the Holy Quran at 12
- He graduated from the Faculty of Sharia, and completed his finals at Umm Al Qura University
- He was appointed as the Imam at age 22
Sheikh Yasir bin Al-Dossary, #2 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Sheikh Yasser Al Dosari is a world-renowned Qari (Qur’an reciter), Islamic scholar and the Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Makkah. Sheikh Yasir Al-Dossary was born in Al-Kharj province in Saudi Arabia in 1980 and is married with two daughters and two sons.
He completed memorizing the Quran at the age of 15. And he was appointed as the Imam of Masjid Al Haram in Ramadan, 2015 by King Salman.
Sheikh Faisal Ghazzawi – #3 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Born in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 1965, Sheikh Faisal Ghazzawi embarked on a remarkable journey in Islamic scholarship. His educational pursuits led him to earn a Master’s Degree in 1996 and a PhD in 2002 from the esteemed Umm Al Qura University, a testament to his dedication and commitment to knowledge.
Sheikh Faisal Ghazzawi hails from the Muhajireen community and is widely recognized for his compelling and fervent prayers, as well as his warm hospitality in welcoming guests. His expertise in Quranic recitation has earned him the esteemed position of President of the Faculty of Quranic Recitation at Umm Al Qura University.
In 2008, Sheikh Faisal Ghazzawi received a profound honor when he was entrusted with the role of Imam at the prestigious Masjid Al Haram, a position of great significance. His exemplary service continued to shine, as he was appointed as the Khateeb in 2016, further cementing his role in guiding the faithful in their spiritual journey.
Sheikh Bandar Baleelah – #4 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Sheikh Bandar Baleelah is one of the current Imams of Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A royal decree was issued in October 2013 to appoint him as Imam of the Grand Mosque. King Salman issued a royal decree assigning Baleelah to deliver the sermon on Arafat Day.
Sheikh Baleelah was born in Makkah in 1975. As a young child, he memorized the entire Qur’an.
He was also appointed as a member of the Council of Senior Scholars in October 2020.
Sheikh Abdullah Awad Al-Juhany – #5 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Abdullah Awad Al Juhany is one of the nine Imams of the Grand Mosque Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. He holds a B.A. from the faculty of Qur’an at the Islamic University of Madinah and a doctorate (Ph.D.) from Umm al-Qura University in Mecca.
Juhany has led the Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan in Mecca since 2005. But he was appointed as an Imam of Masjid Al Haram, Mecca in July 2007. He is or has been an imam of Masjid Al Haram in Mecca, Masjid Al Nabawi in Medina, Masjid Quba and Masjid Qiblatain.
Sheikh Saleh Al-Humaid – #6 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Ṣāliḥ ibn ʻAbd Allāh Ibn Ḥumayd, is a Saudi Arabian Imam and politician. He is currently one of the nine Imams of Grand Mosque of Mecca. He is also member of Assembly of Saudi Arabia since 1993 and had served Speaker of Majlis al Shura from February 2002 to February 2009.
In 1983, at the age of 33, he was appointed as the imam of Masjid Al Haram.
Sheikh Maher Al-Muaiqly – #7 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Maher Bin Hamad Bin Muhammad Bin Al-Mu’aiqly Al-Balawi (born 7 January 1969) is an Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, Masjid al-Haram.
Maher graduated from the Teachers College in Madinah where he studied mathematics and moved to work in Makkah Al-Mukarramah as a teacher. He then became a student guide at Prince Abdul Majeed School in Makkah. He holds a master’s degree in 1425 AH in the jurisprudence of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal at the College of Shari’a at Umm Al-Qura University and obtained a doctorate in interpretation. He works as an assistant professor in the Judicial Studies Department at the College of Judicial Studies and Regulations at Umm Al-Qura University. and holds the position of Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research.
He was appointed as Khateeb of Masjid Al Haram in Ramadan in 2016 after a royal decree was issued by King Salman. And Sheikh Maher delivered his first Khutbah in Masjid Al Haram on 15th July 2016.
Sheikh Usamah Abdul Aziz Al-Khayyat – #8 Imam Of Masjid al Haram
Sheikh Usaamah Khayyat whose full name is Usaamah bin Abdullah bin Abdul Ghani Khayyat was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 1956.
He graduated in 1977 and obtained a master’s and doctorate from Umm Al Qurra University in Mecca.
After the approval of King Farhad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Rahimi Allah) in, he was appointed Imam of the Islamic Temple in 1997.
He is also a professor in the Departments of Dawah and Usool Deen at Umm University Al Qurra has been a member of the Shoura Committee since 2003.
Former Imam of Majid Al Haram
Abdullah Al-Khulaifi
Abdullah Al-Khulaifi appointed Imam and Khateeb from 1953 till his death in 1993.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Hurafi (may Allah have mercy on him) is the imam and khateeb (the one who dedicated the khutbah) of the Islamic temple. He was born in al-Bukairiya in 1333H and grew up in a home full of knowledge and noise. His father was the chief of the city, a great scholar and judge.
When the Quran was remembered, Sheikh Abdullah Khulaifi was less than 15 years old. He served as his father’s assistant in a mosque in Abu Koiliya and started as Aam, and later moved to the Namra Mosque in the same city, where his reputation became famous among children who wanted to pray to him.
Some people who were close to the late King Faisal bin bind Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that the king ordered Sheikh Kulafi Khulaifi) came to find him so that he could pray with him and make him his special magnet in Taif. That was in the early 1360s (Hegira). He continued to serve as an Imam in the palace for two years, and then in 1365H King Faisal (may Allah have mercy on his soul) ordered him to be the Imam and khateeb of Masjidul Haraam. This is the last ten days of Ramadan late at night, after the imam, Salaatul Tahajjud (Salaatul Tahajjud) performed for the first time at the assembly of the chapel (Masjidul Haraam). This continued until his death in 1414H.
About his last few hours, his son Abdur-Rahman bin Abdullah al-Khulaifi told us: “We arrived at the al-Radf suburb of Ta’if on Monday 28th, 1414H, after salaatul Asr. My father looked very good. It was normal, but he was not complaining that I was sick and had no symptoms. He sent me to a nearby market to buy some supplies. When I came back, I found him very nervous and stressed. The doctor, but he refused, and Ask me to put a mattress on him so that he can rest. He rested for about half an hour, then I asked him to go home with me, and he agreed. He stood up, acted like a witch, and then sat in the car with me. When we were on our way home, the tension and pressure returned, and she vomited several times. When this happened, he seemed to miss his daily prayer / dictation very much, and his voice was very weak. Suddenly he stopped speaking, his breathing became shallow, his chest began to vibrate, and his eyes were fixed, so I took him to King Faisal’s hospital in Taif, and the doctor told me he was in Mag before arriving at the hospital. . Maghrib Adhaan died earlier in a car. It was then that he used to prepare salat with the Masjidul Haraam congregation.
He added: “On 1414H, the next day, Tuesday 1414H, his funeral prayers were performed at the ka gate after Saratel Asr of Masjidul Haraam. Bah, the place where he led people to pray for almost fifty years. He was buried in the al-Adl cemetery, and funeral prayers were performed for those who were unable to do the first prayer at Masjidul Haraam. We still remember it fresh, especially during Ramadan, especially when we listen to the Quran (Allahhu noorus-samaawaati wal ard), which Saratto Maghreb often recites in the Holy Land. May Allah Ta’aala have mercy on him with his great mercy.”
Ahmad Khatib
Shaikh Ahmad Khatib al-Minangkabawi was born in Koto Tuo, Dutch East Indies on 26 June 1860 and died in Mecca, Ottoman Empire on 9 October 1915. He was a Minangkabau Islamic teacher and served as the head (imam) of the Shafi’i school of law at the mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram). Many Indonesian Islamic reformist leaders learned from him, including Ahmad Dahlan, who became the founder of the Muhammadiyah Society and Hasyim Asyari, who founded Nahdlatul Ulama in the early 20th century.
Ali bin Abdullah Jaber
Ali Jaber, born Ali Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ali Jaber, was an eminent reciter from Saudi Arabia. He was born in Jeddah in 1373 Hijri. While he was five, Ali moved with his parents to Madinah where he had memorized the Holy Qur’an at the age of 15.
In 1396 HIjri, Ali Jaber joined the Sharia’s Faculty of the Islamic University. Fresh out, he enrolled in the High Institute of Magistracy and prepared a thesis he supported in 1400. His research was carried out in the “Abullah Ibn Omar’s Fiqh and its impact on the Madinah’s School”. Graduated with honors, Ali Jaber was proposed to be judge in Mayssane but he preferred the position of Adminstrative Inspector and shortly became professor of Arab Language and Islamic studies in the Education Faculty of Madinah Monawara relevant to King Fahd Abdul Aziz University.
Later on, Ali Jaber, who was imam and reciter in many Saudi mosque, was nominated Imam of the private mosque of the late King Khalid Ibn Abdul Aziz. While the Custodian of the two holy mosques moved to Jeddah, Ali Jaber was nominated Imam of the Holy Mosque of Makkah. In 1403, Ali Jaber asked to be exempted from his functions as imam and took them back to lead evening prayers in Ramadan’s and then as an official imam of the Holy Mosque in the same year, he got his doctorate certificate in 1407 Hijri.
Ali Jaber died in 1426 Hijri in Jeddah.
Mohammad Al Subail
Sheikh Omar ibn Muhammad Al-Subail, 43, who was imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque in Makkah for the past 11 years, died at the Armed Forces Hospital in Hada near Taif after entering weeks following a traffic accident.
Umar Al-Subayyil
He served as an Imam and Khateeb from 1993 until 2002, died in 2002
Abdullah Al-Harazi
He is the former Chairman of Saudi Majlis al-Shura.
Ali bin Abdur-Rahman Al-Huthaify
Ali Bin Abdur Rahman Al Huthaify born 22 May 1947 is a Saudi Imam and khateeb of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and a former Imam of Quba Mosque.
He was a guest Imam for Ramadhan 1981, 1985–1986, 1988–1991, now Chief Imam of The Prophet’s Mosque.
His style of reciting the Qur’an in a slow and deep tune is widely recognised.
Salah ibn Muhammad Al-Budair
Salah Bin Muhammad Al Budair was born Hofuf, in 1970 and is a current Imam of the Grand Masjid in Madinah and a Judge of the High Court of Madinah. He was a former Imam of Masjid al-Haram, in Makkah.
Sheikh Adel Al-Kalbani
Adil al-Kalbani is a Saudi Arabian Muslim cleric of Afro-Saudi background who served as the Imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca.
Adil al-Kalbani was born in Riyadh on April 4, 1958 to poor emigrants from Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates who came to Saudi Arabia in the 1950s.
His father used to work as a government clerk. Due to his family’s financial situation, al-Kalbani took a job with Saudi Arabian Airlines after finishing high school, whilst attending evening classes at King Saud University.
Al-Kalbani’s first teacher in his further Islamic studies was Hasan ibn Gaanim al-Gaanim.
- He studied Sahih al-Bukhari, Jami` at-Tirmidhi and the tafsir of Ibn Kathir with him.
- He also studied with Mustafa Muslim who taught the tafsir of al-Baydawi at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.
- He also studied Akhir Tadmariyah with Abdullah Ibn Jibreen and the Quran with Ahmad Mustafa.
- In 1994, he passed the government exam to become an Imam.
After a brief stint working at the mosque in Riyadh Airport, he moved on to working as an Imam at the more prominent King Khalid Mosque. He once dreamed that he had become the imam at the Great Mosque of Mecca; two years later, in 2008, he was selected by King Abdullah to lead the tarawih prayers at the mosque.
In Japan’s city of Bandu, a center of Minhaj-ul-Quran was visited by Al-Kalbani on June 30, 2013.
Al-Kalbani has said he is not a Shaykh (an authority in religious matters) but a Qari.
Sheikh Saud Al Shuraim
Saud ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Al-Shuraim was born on 19 January 1966 and was one of the prayer leaders and Friday preachers at the Grand Mosque Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. A Quranic reciter, he also holds a Ph.D degree in Sharia (Islamic studies) at the Umm al-Qura University in Mecca.
On 6 April 2018, Saudi authorities closed Shuraim’s Twitter (now known as X) page because he had posted comments about political and social issues in the Kingdom and criticised what he believed were violations of Islamic teachings.
In December 2022, Shuraim stepped down as Imam of Masjid al-Haram (While there was information to suggest otherwise as far as the public has been concerned he stepped down). He bid farewell to his position through a self-written poem.
Sheikh Khalid Al-Ghamdi
Shaykh Khalid Bin Ali Bin Abdan Al Ablaj Al Ghamdi made his way into this world in the holy city of Mecca, belonging to the great tribe of Bani Hashim of Quraysh and Al Hassan Bin Al Khalifa Ali Bin Abi Taleb.
He memorised the Holy Quran at the tender age of 16, under the supervision of a Pakistani Shaykh.
Khaled Al Ghamdi enrolled into the Umm Al Qura University, in the discipline of Da’wa and Usul al-Deen where he garnered useful insights and a rock solid guidance under the able motivation of Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al Habib, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al Shanqiti, and Sheikh Muhammad Al Khader Al Naji. And later obtained his coveted Ph.D. degree as well.
He has been an integral and inevitable part of the Saudi organization of the Holy Quran, and the Advisory Committee in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Mecca.
His professional career as an Imam commenced at the Sheikha Bint Abdul Rahman Al Saud Masjid and the mosque of AL Khayf In Mina, following it with an illustrious job as an Imam in Masjid Al Haram on the request of the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He continues his promise to this very day albeit in pairing with Sheikh Bandar Baleela and Sheikh Yasser Al Dossary in successive years.
He led Taraweeh in Ramadan 1426 (2005) and 1427 (2006), now Deputy Chief Imam of The Prophet’s Mosque.
Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib
Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammed Al Talib born 23 January 1974, is a Saudi scholar, preacher, Imam, Khatib and judge who has been imprisoned since August 2018 for challenging mixed public gatherings. Within hours of his arrest, his English and Arabic Twitter accounts were deactivated.
Sheikh Al-Talib was the Imam and Khatib of Al-Masjid al-Haram and was also serving as a judge in District Court in Makkah.
In March 2018, Sheikh Talib visited Pakistan where he met with officials such as then President Mamnoon Hussain and Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The Imams Of Masjid Al Nabawi
- Sheikh Ali Al Hudhaify
- Sheikh Abdul Basri Al Thubaity
- Sheikh Hussain Aal Shiekh
- Sheikh Abdul Muhsin Al Qasim
- Sheikh Salaah Al Budair
- Sheikh Abdullah Al Bu’aijaan
- Sheikh Ahmed Bin Hameed
- Sheikh Khalid Al Muhanna
- Sheikh Ahmad al Hudhaify
