Hajj 2026: King Salman Appoints Sheikh Al-Hudhaify to Deliver Arafat Sermon
By Khadija Muhammad Zakari
Saudi Arabia’s Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has appointed Sheikh Ali bin Abdur Rahman Al-Hudhaify to deliver the Arafat Khutbah during the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.
The Saudi Royal Court announced the appointment on Monday, confirming that Sheikh Al-Hudhaify will deliver the sermon at Masjid al-Namirah on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, corresponding to May 26, 2026.
Sheikh Al-Hudhaify currently serves as Imam and Khateeb of Masjid an-Nabawi, one of Islam’s holiest mosques.
The Arafat Khutbah is among the most significant rituals of Hajj and follows the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Each year, the Imam delivers the sermon from the pulpit of Masjid al-Namirah on the plains of Arafat, where pilgrims gather for Wuquf, the spiritual climax of the pilgrimage.
The sermon highlights the importance of repentance, mercy, unity, and devotion, while drawing lessons from the Prophet’s Farewell Sermon delivered more than 1,400 years ago on the same plains.
Following the Khutbah, pilgrims combine and shorten the Dhuhr and Asr prayers before spending the remainder of the day in supplication until sunset.
Born on May 22, 1947, in Makkah Province, Sheikh Al-Hudhaify earned a degree in Islamic law from Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in 1972.
He later obtained both a master’s degree and doctorate in Sharia from Al-Azhar University in 1975.
Authorities appointed him Imam of Masjid an-Nabawi in 1979, and he later led Taraweeh prayers at Masjid al-Haram during Ramadan in 1981. In 1987, he briefly served as Imam and Khateeb of Quba Mosque.
The Arafat sermon is broadcast globally in multiple languages each year, reaching millions of Muslims around the world.
