Sheikh Ahmad bin Hamad Al-Khalili ( NP) (; born 1942) is the

Grand Mufti A Grand Mufti (also called Chief Mufti, State Mufti and Supreme Mufti) is a title for the leading Faqīh, Islamic jurist of a country, typically Sunni, who may oversee other muftis. Not all countries with large Sunni Muslim populations have Gra ...

of the

Sultanate of Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

Opinions

The Grand Mufti appears regularly on TV, where he answers the public's questions on Islam. He urged the government to ban alcohol in Oman, one of the more liberal states in the Arabian Peninsula. However, he is a strong advocate for religious tolerance and works hard to ensure harmony between the different religious schools of thought in Oman. Al-Khalili signed the

Amman Message The Amman Message () is a statement calling for tolerance and unity in the Muslim world that was issued on 9 November 2004 (27 Ramadan 1425 AH) by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, and his advisor Sheikh Izz-Eddine Al-Tamimi. The messa ...

, which gives a broad foundation for defining Muslim orthodoxy. In August 2021, he congratulated the Taliban for “the clear victory and the grand conquering of the aggressor invaders, and we also congratulate ourselves and the entire Islamic nation for the fulfillment of God’s sincere promise”.

Life

Ahmed bin Hamad Al-Khalili was born on the island of Zanzibar on 27 July 1942, when

Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...

was still under the rule of the al-Said sultans who originated from Oman. His tribal home is the town of Bahla. He was appointed Director of the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, and in 1395 hijri (1975 CE), a royal decree appointed him the Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman, the highest Islamic authority in Oman, after the death of the scholar Ibrahim bin Said Al Abri.

Awards

Nishan-e-Pakistan Nishan-e-Pakistan () is the highest civilian award of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is awarded to "those who have rendered services of highest distinction" to the national interest of Pakistan. Nishan is awarded to government officials a ...

(2022) *

Nishan-e-Imtiaz The Nishan-e-Imtiaz (; ) is one of the state organized Civil decorations of Pakistan, civil decorations of Pakistan. It is awarded for achievements towards world recognition for Pakistan or outstanding service for the country. However, the awa ...

(2022)

References

Living people 1942 births Omani imams Omani Ibadi Muslims 21st-century imams Quran reciters Zanzibari emigrants to Oman Tanzanian emigrants to Oman Tanzanian people of Omani descent Omani judges Grand Muftis of Oman International Union of Muslim Scholars members 20th-century Omani people {{Islam-bio-stub