Sheikh Bandar Baleelah

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.

Early Life and Education

Sheikh Baleelah was born in Makkah in 1975. As a young child, he memorized the entire Qur’an.

In 1996, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Umm Al-Qura University pursuing Islamic law at Shariah College. He also earned a master’s degree in Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) from the same university and graduated with first-class honours.

In 2008 Baleelah earned his PhD from the Islamic University of Madinah with first-class honours.

Career

Sheikh Bandar Baleelah worked as a teacher of “Al Fiqh” in the Institute of “Al Haram Al Maki Al Sharif” in the higher department.  He also worked as an assistant teacher in “Al Taif” University. He is an Imam and a preacher too in “Al Amira Nouf” mosque in “Al Aziziyah” region in Mecca.

Before becoming an Imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, he worked as an imam (leading prayers) and khateeb (delivering sermons) at numerous mosques throughout Makkah. The most recent was Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz Mosque in the Ash-Shishah district of Makkah.

Sheikh Bandar Baleelah has authored numerous books and research papers related to his field. In Ramadan 2013 he first led the Taraaweeh prayers at Masjid Al Haram and began delivering Friday sermons in 2019 by royal decree.

Furthermore, another royal decree appointed Sheikh Baleelah as a member of the Council of Senior Scholars in October 2020.