Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz as-Sudais (Arabic: عبد الرحمن السديس (ʻAbd ar-Rahman ibn ʻAbd al-Aziz as-Sudais Hanbali), born 1960 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)[1] is the imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a renowned qāriʾ (reciter of the Qur'an),[4] and was the Dubai International Holy Qur'an Award’s "Islamic Personality Of the Year" in 2005.
Al-Sudais has preached Islam's opposition to "explosions and terrorism",[5][6] and has called for peaceful inter-faith dialogue,[7] but also been sharply criticized for vilifying non-Muslims and especially Jews in his sermons.[8][9] He has denounced the treatment of Palestinians by Israeli settlers and the state of Israel,[10] and called for more aid to be sent to Palestinians.[11] He has also been noted for identifying women's un-Islamic behavior as in part responsible for the winter 2006 drought in Saudi Arabia. [12][13]