A four year new term of office for the Saudi Mufti

In a royal decree, the Saudi King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz announced yesterday renewing the term of office of the Saudi general Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah al-Sheikh for four new years.

In the royal decree which was quoted by the Saudi news agency it was stated that the "service of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, the general Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and head of the scientific research department and al-Ifta house will be extended for four years at a grade of a minister as from "the end of the current month, March."

The Mufti was appointed in this post on May 15, 1999 to succeed Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz who died of cancer. King Fahd, however, initiated this post in July 1993 and assigned it to Sheikh Baz.