# Grand Mufti

* Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, Grand Mufti of India
* Shawki Allam, Grand Mufti of Egypt
* Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem
* Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili, Grand Mufti of Oman
* Abdul Aziz Juned, Grand Mufti of Brunei
* Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Grand Mufti of the Caucasus
* Talgat Tadzhuddin, Grand Mufti of Russia
* Husein Kavazović, Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Grand Mufti (also called Chief Mufti, State Mufti and Supreme Mufti) is the head of regional muftis, Islamic jurisconsults, of a state. The office originated in the early modern era in the Ottoman Empire and has been later adopted in a number of modern countries.
Muftis are Islamic jurists qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion (fatwa) on a point of Islamic law (sharia). In the 15th century, muftis of the Ottoman Empire, who had acted as independent scholars in earlier times, began to be integrated into a hierarchical bureaucracy of religious institutions and scholars. By the end of the 16th century, the government-appointed mufti of Istanbul came to be recognized under the title Shaykh al-Islam (Turkish: şeyhülislam) as the Grand Mufti in charge of this hierarchy. The Ottoman Grand Mufti performed a number of functions, including advising the sultan on religious matters, legitimizing government policies, and appointing judges. After the dissolution the Ottoman Empire the office of the Grand Mufti has been adopted in a number of countries across the Muslim world, often serving the role of providing religious support for government policies. The Grand Mufti is generally an individual appointed by the state, although the office has collective or elective character in some modern countries.

## History

Muftis are Muslim religious scholars who issue legal opinions (fatwas) interpreting sharia (Islamic law).$^{:16–20}$ The Ottoman Empire began the practice of giving official recognition and status to a single mufti, above all others, as the Grand Mufti.$^{:5}$ The Sheikh ul-Islam (or "grand mufti") of Istanbul had, since the late 16th century, come to be regarded as the head of the religious establishment. He was thus not only pre-eminent but bureaucratically responsible for the body of religious-legal scholars and gave legal rulings on important state policies such as the dethronement of rulers. This practice was subsequently borrowed and adapted by Egypt for the head of its Dar al-Ifta (House of Fatwas) from the mid-19th century.$^{:5}$ From there, the concept spread to other Muslim states, so that today there are approximately 16 countries with sizable Muslim populations which have a Grand Mufti.$^{:85}$ The relationship between the Grand Mufti of any given state and the state's rulers can vary considerably, both by region and by historical era.

## Election
### India

The Grand Mufti of India is elected by the Sunni Barelvi Muslims and appointed by the Barelvi Sunni Muslims.

### Brunei

The State Mufti of Brunei is nominated by the Sultan

### Jerusalem

Throughout the era of British colonialism, the British retained the institution of Grand Mufti in some Muslim areas under their control and accorded the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem the highest political stature in Palestine. During World War I (1914–1918), there were two competing Grand Muftis of Jerusalem, one endorsed by the British and one by the Ottoman Empire. When Palestine was under British rule, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was a position appointed by the British Mandate authorities. In the Palestinian National Authority, the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Grand Mufti is appointed by the president.

### Malaysia

Malaysia has a unique system of collective mufti. Nine of the fourteen Malaysian states have their own constitutional monarchy; nine are ruled by their own constitutional monarch while the country is led by a monarch elected from the nine. These nine monarchs have authority over religious matters within their own states: therefore, each of these nine states have their own mufti who usually controls the Islamic Council or Islamic Department of the state. At the national level, a Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan) has been formed under the Department of Islamic Advancement of Malaysia (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia or JAKIM). JAKIM appoints five Muftis for the five states which do not have monarchs. The muftis of the nine monarchical states, together with the five officials appointed by JAKIM in the National Council of Fatwā, collectively issue fatāwā at the national level.

### Mughal Empire

In the Mughal Empire, the Grand Mufti of India was a state official.

### Ottoman Empire

In the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Mufti was a state official, and the Grand Mufti of Constantinople was the highest of these.

### Saudi Arabia

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, with office created in 1953, is appointed by the King.

### Tunisia

According to Article 78 of the 2014 Constitution, the Grand Mufti of Tunisia is appointed and can be dismissed by the President of the Republic.

## List of Grand Muftis

The list includes the names of currently appointed Grand Muftis who will take office on an appointed date and appointed by a governing committee.
| State | Incumbent | Status | Term |
| Albania | Bujar Spahiu (1976 – ) | Appointed Chairman of the Muslim Community of Albania (KMSH) by the Muslim Community of Albania | March 2019 |
| Australia | Ibrahim Abu Mohamed ( – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Australia by the Australian National Imams Council | September 2016 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Husein Kavazović (3 July 1964 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina | September 2012 |
| Brunei | Abdul Aziz Juned (22 December 1941 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti Brunei by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah | 1 September 1994 |
| Bulgaria | Mustafa Hadzhi (31 March 1962 – ) | Appointed Chief Mufti of Bulgaria by the Supreme Muslim Council | 1997 – 2005 (first term) 2005 – |
| Canada | Syed Soharwardy (1955 – ) | Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (Grand Mufti of Canada) | 2000 |
| Caucasus region | Allahshukur Pashazadeh (26 August 1949 – ) | Appointed chairman and Shaikh al-Islam of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Transcaucasia and Grand Mufti of the Caucasus by the Caucasus Muslims Council | 1980 – 1992 (first post) 1992 – |
| China | Xilalunding Chen Guangyuan | Chairman of the Islamic Association of China | November 2016 |
| Egypt | Shawki Allam (12 August 1961 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Egypt by the Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar and approved by the President of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi | February 2013 |
| Ghana | Osman Nuhu Sharubutu (23 April 1919 – ) | National Chief Imam of Ghana (De facto) | |
| Guinea | El Hadj Mamadou Saliou Camara ( – ) | Grand Imam of Guinea (De facto) | |
| India | Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad(19 October 19 2019) | Appointed Grand Mufti of India by the Sunni Muslims of India | 2019 – |
| Iraq | Mahdi Al-Sumaidaie (20. century – ) | Grand Mufti of the Iraqi Sunnis (de facto) | |
| Japan | Yahya Toshio Endo | Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 2021 |
| Jordan | Abdul Karim Khasawneh (1944 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Jordan by the Cabinet of Jordan and Abdul Hafez Rabtah as Chief Islamic Justice of the Kingdom of Jordan | 11 November 2019 |
| Kazakhstan | ( – ) | Appointed Supreme Mufti of Kazakhstan by the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Kazakhstan as per nomination of former Supreme Mufti, Serikbai Kazhy Oraz | 7 February 2020 |
| Kosovo | Naim Ternava (7 January 1961 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Kosovo by the Islamic Community of Kosova | October 2003 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Maksatbek Toktomushev (9 August 1973 – ) | Appointed Mufti of Kyrgyzstan | 2014 |
| Lebanon | Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian (3 April 1953 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Lebanon by the Higher Islamic Council | 10 August 2014 |
| Libya | Sadiq Al-Ghariani (8 December 1942 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Libya by the National Transitional Council | May 2011 |
| Lithuania | ( – ) | Grand Mufti of Lithuania (De facto) | |
| Macedonia | Sulejman Rexhepi (1947 – ) | Reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Religious Community of Macedonia | |
| Malaysia | Luqman Abdullah (12 September 1969 – ) | Mufti of the Federal Territories (Website: muftiwp.gov.my) | 16 May 2020 |
| Malaysia | Dato Hj Yahya bin Ahmad | Mufti of Johor (Website: mufti.johor.gov.my) | 13 November 2018 |
| Malaysia | Syeikh Fadzil Awang | Mufti of Kedah (Website: mufti.kedah.gov.my) | 20 July 2017 |
| Malaysia | Mohamad Shukri Mohamad | Mufti of Kelantan (Website: muftikelantan.gov.my) | 1 January 2008 |
| Malaysia | Abdul Halim Tawil | Mufti of Malacca (Website: muftimelaka.gov.my) | |
| Malaysia | Faudzinaim Badaruddin | Mufti of Negeri Sembilan (Website: muftins.gov.my) | 4 October 2023 |
| Malaysia | Asmadi Mohamed Naim | Mufti of Pahang (Website: mufti.pahang.gov.my) | 1 April 2024 |
| Malaysia | Mohd Sukki Othman Noor | Mufti of Penang (Website: mufti.penang.gov.my) | 1 July 2024 |
| Malaysia | Wan Zahidi Wan Teh | Mufti of Perak (Website: mufti.perak.gov.my) | 17 June 2022 |
| Malaysia | Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (1 January 1971 – ) | Mufti of Perlis (Website: mufti.perlis.gov.my) | 2 February 2015 |
| Malaysia | Bungsu Aziz Jaafar | Mufti of Sabah (Website: mufti.sabah.gov.my) | 10 August 2012 |
| Malaysia | Kipli Yassin | Mufti of Sarawak (Website: muftinegeri.sarawak.gov.my) | |
| Malaysia | Anhar Opir | Mufti of Selangor (Website: muftiselangor.gov.my) | 29 July 2022 |
| Malaysia | Sabri Haron | Mufti of Terengganu (Website: mufti.terengganu.gov.my) | 12 April 2021 |
| Mali | Chérif Ousmane Madani Haïdara | Chairman of the High Islamic Council of Mali | April 2019 |
| Mauritania | Ahmed Ould Murabit | Grand Mufti of Mauritania | |
| Montenegro | Rifat Fejzić ( – ) | Reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community of Montenegro | |
| New Zealand | ( – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of New Zealand | |
| Nigeria | Ibrahim Ibn Saleh al-Hussaini (1938 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Nigeria by the Supreme Council for Fatwa and Islamic Affairs in Nigeria | |
| Oman | Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili (27 July 1942 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman by the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said | 1975 |
| Pakistan | Munib ur-Rahman | Grand Mufti of Pakistan | |
| Palestine | Muhammad Ahmad Hussein (10 March 1950 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas | July 2006 |
| Poland | Tomasz Miśkiewicz (9 July 1977 – ) | Appointed Mufti of the Republic of Poland by the Muslim Religious Union in the Republic of Poland | 2004 |
| Romania | Murat Yusuf (18 August 1977 – ) (Murād Yūsuf) | Grand Mufti of Romania | 2005 |
| Russia | Talgat Tadzhuddin (12 October 1948 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Russia by the Central Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Russia | 1992 |
| Russia | Rawil Ğaynetdin (25 August 1959 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Russia by the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Russian Federation | 2014 |
| Saudi Arabia | Abdulaziz Al Sheikh (10 February 1943 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia by the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd of Saudi Arabia | June 1999 |
| Serbia | Sead Nasufović (22 June 1979 – ) | Appointed Mufti of Serbia by the Islamic Community of Serbia | July 2016 |
| Singapore | Nazirudin Mohd Nasir | Appointed Mufti of the Republic of Singapore by the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, the statutory board of Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth | 1 March 2020 |
| South Africa | Mufti Mohamed Akbar Hazarvi | Appointed Mufti by the Sunni Ulama Council, Sunni Ulama Cape and Cape Town Ulama Board | 20 June 2000- |
| Syria | Osama al-Rifai (b. 1944) | Grand Mufti of Syria appointed by the Syrian opposition | November 2021 |
| Tunisia | Othman Battikh (17 April 1941 – 25 October 2022) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Tunisia by the President of Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2008 and Beji Caid Essebsi in 2016 | 2008 – 5 January 2016 (resigned for haj pilgrimage in 2016) 12 January 2016 – (reappointed by the president after one week) |
| Turkey | Ali Erbaş (10 September 1961 – ) | Appointed President of Directorate of Religious Affairs by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, acting as Grand Mufti of the country. | 17 September 2017 |
| United Arab Emirates | ( – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Dubai by Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department | |
| United States | Hisham Kabbani (1945 – ) | Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America (Grand Mufti of the United States) | 1998 |
| Uzbekistan | Usmankhan Alimov (1 January 1950 – 15 August 2021) | Grand Mufti of Uzbekistan | 8 August 2006 |
| Zimbabwe | Ismail ibn Musa Menk (b. 1975) | Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe |

## List of former Grand Muftis

| State | Incumbent | Status | Term |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Mustafa Cerić (5 February 1952 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina | April 1993 – November 2012 |
| Brunei | Ismail Omar Abdul Aziz (1911 – 1993) | Appointed State Mufti of Brunei | 1962–1994 |
| India | ʽAbd al-Qadir Badayuni (21 August 1540 – 5 November 1615) | Appointed Grand Mufti of India by the Mughal emperor, Akbar, appointed him to the muftiat in 1574 where he spent much of his career. | 16th century – 17th century |
| India | Shah Fazle Rasool Badayuni (1 July 1798 – 8 August 1872) | Appointed Grand Mufti of India by the final Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. | 19th century |
| India | Kifayatullah Dehlawi (November 1882 – 31 December 1952) | | 20th century |
| India | Amjad Ali Aazmi (November 1882 – 6 September 1948) | Elected as Grand Mufti of India by electoral college and appointed by the Islamic Community of India. | 20th century |
| India | Mustafa Raza Khan Qadri (18 July 1892, 1892 – 11 November 1981, 1981) | Elected as Grand Mufti of India by electoral college and appointed by the Islamic Community of India. | 20th century |
| India | Akhtar Raza Khan (23 November 1943 – 20 July 2018) | Elected as Grand Mufti of India by electoral college and appointed by the Islamic Community of India. | 20th century – 20 July 2018 |
| Japan | Sadiq Yoshio Imaizumi | Self-Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1953 – 1960 |
| Japan | Umar Ryoichi Mita | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1960 – 1962 |
| Japan | Abdulkareem Atsuhira Saito | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1962 – 1971 |
| Japan | Abu Bakr Takeo Morimoto | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1971 – 1974 |
| Japan | Abdulmunir Shoji Watanabe | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1974 – 1977 |
| Japan | Omar Yojiro Iokibe | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1977 – 1984 |
| Japan | Abdul Salam Jiro Arimi | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1984 – 1986 |
| Japan | Zubeir Hakuro Suzuki | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1986 – 1990 |
| Japan | Khalid Mimasaka Higuchi | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 1990 – 2003 |
| Japan | Amin Kimiaki Tokumasu | Appointed Chairman of the Japan Muslim Association | 2003 – 2021 |
| Malaysia | Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri (16 January 1969 – ) | Appointed Mufti of the Federal Territories | 20 June 2014 - 16 May 2020 |
| Palestine | Mohammed Tahir al-Husayni (1842 – 1908) (Hanafi) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | 1869–1908 |
| Palestine | Kamil al-Husayni (23 February 1867 – 31 March 1921) (Hanafi) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | 1908–1921 |
| Palestine | As'ad Shukeiri (1860 – 1940) (Hanafi) | Appointed Qadi by the Ottoman Empire during the World War I. | 1914–1918 |
| Palestine | Amin al-Husseini (1 January 1895 – 4 July 1974) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | 1921–1937 |
| Palestine | Hussam ad-Din Jarallah (1884 – 6 March 1954) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | 1948–1952 |
| Palestine | Saad al-Alami (1911 – 6 February 1993) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf | 1952–1993 |
| Palestine | Sulaiman Ja'abari (1912 – 1994) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | 1993–1994 |
| Palestine | Ekrima Sa'id Sabri (1939 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem by the .... | October 1994 – July 2006 |
| Philippines | Abuhuraira Udasan (3 March 1942 – 3 July 2023) | Grand Mufti of Bangsamoro | Until July 2023 |
| Saudi Arabia | Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh (24 July 1893 – 3 December 1969) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia by the .... | 1953–1969 |
| Saudi Arabia | Ibn Baz (22 November 1912 – 13 May 1999) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia by the .... | 1992–1999 |
| Syria | Ahmad Kaftaru (1915 – 1 September 2004) | Appointed Grand Mufti of Syria | 26 October 1964 – 1 September 2004 |
| Syria | Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun (25 April 1949 – ) | Appointed Grand Mufti of the Republic by the President of President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad | July 2005 – November 2021 |