| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Adil bin Salim bin Sa'eed al-Kalbani |
| Profession | Muslim Cleric |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5' 10" (178 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Salt and Pepper (Semi-Bald) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 3 April 1959 (Friday) |
| Age (as of 2025) | 66 Years |
| Birthplace | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
| Hometown | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| College/University | • King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia • Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Saudi Arabia |
| Religion | Islam |
| Caste/Sect | Sunni Muslim |
| Controversies | • Controversial Views on Twelver Shia Muslims In 2009, in an interview with BBC Arabic, he declared that he considered the clerics to be apostates. This statement received backlash from the Shia community in Saudi Arabia. In 2019, he re-considered his views after reading a book by fellow scholar Hatim al-Awni, and claimed that he no longer considered the clerics as apostates. ((The New Arab)) • Controversy Regarding Allowance of Music Earlier, Sheikh Adil al-Kalbani believed music was haram, in line with Saudi Arabia’s conservative view. But in 2010, he changed his stance, saying the Quran and Hadiths don't ban music, as long as the songs are decent and moral. This sparked a debate, with some scholars, like Sheikh Saleh Al Fawzan, criticising him. The issue went viral online, dividing public opinion. Later, he took back his support, saying most modern music promotes indecency and doesn't match his moral values. ((Gulf News)) • Controversial Statement on Wahhabism and ISIS In January 2016, he attracted controversy after stating that the ideology of ISIS (Daesh) was taken from Salafism which is mainly present in Saudi Arabia. In an interview, he claimed that Salafists share similar ideas with ISIS, but in a more refined way, having derived their principles from Islamic texts. These statements received backlash from conservative clerics and officials in Saudi Arabia. ((MEMRI)) • Controversy Regarding Participation in Entertainment Events In November 2021, he appeared in the government sponsored entertainment festival's promotional video for the Combat Field in Riyadh Season. In the video al-Kalbani was seen wearing a military attire and led a simulated battle scene along with celebrity footballers Mohammad Al-Deayea and Saeed Al-Owairan. His involvement in such events was seen as disloyalty by some traditionalists, who believed that religious scholars should avoid pop culture and entertainment. Later, he tweeted about the issue sarcastically, asking people if they thought he could go to Hollywood. This statement further received backlash from critics. ((The Business Standard))  |
| Social Media | • Instagram • YouTube |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | He has two wives |
| Children | He has twelve children. |
| Parents | Father- (Former Government Clerk) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Adil al-Kalbani
- In 1950’s, his family shifted from Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia.
- Hasan ibn Gaanim al-Gannim was Al-Kabani’s first teacher of Islamic studies. He was taught Sahih al-Bukhari, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi and the tafsir of Ibn Kathir by al-Gannim.
- After completing high school, he started working at the Saudi Arabian Airlines.
- Later, Mustafa Muslim taught him the tafsir of al-Baydawi at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.
- For a short period, he worked at the King Khalid Airport Mosque in King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and later joined as an Imam at the King Khalid Grand Mosque.
- After he dreamt that he would become the imam at the Great Mosque of Mecca, King Abdullah selected him in 2008 to lead the tarawih prayers at the mosque.
- On 30 June 2013, he visited Japan’s Ibaraki, a centre of Minhaj-ul-Quran.
Adil al-Kalbani at the MQI Centre in Japan
- On 22 October 2013, he started his YouTube channel known as Adel bin Salem al-Kalbani.
- In 2015, he stated in a tweet that he was pleased by the non-existence of church bells in Saudi Arabia.
- In 2018, he lifted the ban on women driving, a milestone that he achieved as a part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. This reform was seen as a step toward greater gender equality in the kingdom.
- In 2019, he criticised the gender segregation that took place in mosques where women are completely isolated and connected to men via a microphone. He had described it as the “phobia of women.” He stated that the use of partitions separating men and women during prayers did not exist during the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
