Who Is Sheikh Abdur Rahman As Sudais?

Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz as-Sudais (عَبْدُ ٱلْرَّحْمَان إبْن عَبْدُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلسُّدَيْس ʻAbd ar-Rahman ibn ʻAbd al-Aziz as-Sudais; born 10 February 1960 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) is the Imam of the Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia; He is the President of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Haramain Sharifain; He’s A renowned qāriʾ (reciter of the Qur’an); and he was awarded the Dubai International Holy Qur’anAward’s “Islamic Personality Of the Year” in 2005.

Sheikh Sudais has preached Islam’s opposition to “explosions and terrorism”, and has called for peaceful inter-faith dialogue, but also been sharply criticized for vilifying non-Muslims and especially Jews in his sermons. He has denounced the treatment of Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the state of Israel, and called for more aid to be sent to Palestinians. He has also been noted for identifying women’s un-Islamic behavior as in part responsible for the winter 2006 drought in Saudi Arabia. In 2016, corresponding with 1437 AH, he also led multitude of pilgrims gathered in Arafat, in prayers after delivering the Hajj sermon. He Gave Khutbah In Masjid An Nimrah, Arafat and led their Dhuhr and Asr Salah.

Prayers for the destruction of the Jews

On April 19, 2002, in his sermon Al-Aqsa Is Crying Out For Help! Al-Sudais called the Jews “monkeys and pigs,” among other invective.

Read the history to know that yesterday’s Jews are evil predecessors and today’s Jews are worse successors. They an ingrate people, they altered God’s words, worshipped calf, killed Messengers and denied their Messages. They are exiled people and the worst of mankind. Allah cursed them and cast His wrath upon them. He turned some of them to monkeys and pigs and worshippers of creatures. They are worst in position and are astray from the right path.…History of Jews is full of deception, trickery, rebellion, oppression, evil and corruption. They always seek to cause mischief on the earth and Allaah loves not the mischief-makers.

He has prayed to ALLAH to “terminate” the Jews and has claimed that the Israelis aspired to tear down the al-Aqsa mosque and build their temple upon its ruins.

Sin and drought

In a sermon on November 13, 2006,Sheikh Sudais preached that the ongoing drought was caused by the proliferation of sin in Saudi society and the behavior of women in the kingdom who allegedly were “unveiling, mingling with men, and being indifferent to the hijab.” this fatwa was supported by many muslims including Al-Ahotanee

Call for all-out war against Shiites

On March 31, 2015, an audio recording of al-Sudais was circulated online. The caption on photo accompanying the recording read “Imam of the grand mosque in Mecca calls for all-out war against Shiites.” In the recording al-Sudais called for an all-out war against Shias:

Our war with Iran, say that out loud, is a war between Sunnis and Shiites. Our war with Iran…is truly sectarian. If it was not sectarian, we will make it sectarian… The Jews and cross (referring to Christians)… I swear by Allah that they will have their days… The prophet said Rome will be conquered… Our disagreement with Rafidha(another word for Shiites) will not be removed nor our suicide to fight them…as long as they are on the face of the earth…

Sheikh seemed destined to become an Islamic cleric from an early age, having memorized the Quran before the age of 12. He later graduated from the Riyadh Scientific Institute in 1979, going on to obtain a degree in Islamic Sharia Law from the Faculty of Sharia in Riyadh in 1983. He obtained his Master’s degree from the Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in 1987, and his Ph.D. in Islamic Sharia from Umm al-Qura University in 1995 while working there as an assistant professor. Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Sudais is known for his commanding voice and his inspiring recitation of the Quran.

Sheikh Sudais took up his imamate in 1984, at just 22-years of age, conducting his first sermon at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in July of that year. Even at this young age, Sheikh Sudais was able – through his sermons and recitations of the Quran – to energize and pierce the hearts of his listeners, and his fame grew throughout the country to the point that other sheikhs and imams began to copy his recitation style.

EDUCATION:
Memorized the Quran in his youth
1979- Awarded certificate in Islamic Science (Distinction)
1983- Completed graduate studies in Law (Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University)
1995- PhD from Faculty of Law (Umm al Qurra)

POSITIONS:
Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law
Lecturer in the Justice Department in the Faculty of Law
1983- Appointed as Imam & Khateeb of Masjid al Haram
2012 -Appointed as Head of Affairs for the Two Holy Mosques

HONORS:
2005- Awarded the ‘Personality of the Year Award in Dubai
13th March 2014 – Led Isha Salaah in Masjid An Nabawi Madinah for the first time
Ramadan 2016 – Led Maghrib Salaah in Masjid An Nabawi Madinah
9th Dhul Hijjjah 2016 – Delivered Sermon Of Hajj in Arafat. led Dhuhr & Asr In Masjid An Nimrah Arafat Also.
March 2017 – Gave Khutbah For First Time In Masjid An Nabawi Madinah As An Imam and Khateeb Of Masjid Al Haram Makkah.