Sheikh Dr. Bandar Baleela to Deliver Friday Sermon at the Grand Mosque in Makkah
Sheikh Maher Al-Mueaqly will serve as reserve khateeb for the July 24 Friday prayers
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has announced that Sheikh Dr. Bandar bin Abdulaziz Baleela, Imam and Khateeb of the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), will deliver the Friday sermon this week, corresponding to 10 Safar 1448 AH (July 24, 2026).
As is customary, a reserve khateeb has also been named in case of need. This week, that role goes to Sheikh Dr. Maher bin Hamad Al-Mueaqly, another senior imam and khateeb known to worshippers across the Muslim world.
The announcement was shared by the Agency for Imams and Muezzins Affairs, the body responsible for organizing prayer leadership at Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia. Friday sermons at the Grand Mosque are broadcast and streamed globally, drawing large audiences of Muslims who tune in from around the world each week.
Sheikh Baleela is one of the most recognized voices at the Grand Mosque, having led prayers there for several years and built a wide following among worshippers both in Makkah and abroad.
Source: Agency for Imams and Muezzins Affairs (via official social media announcement)