It served as the official post until president Bashar al-Assad dissolved the office contentiously on 15 November 2021, transferring its duties to the state-aligned agency Supreme Council of Fatwa under the Ministry of Endowments.

[6][7] Following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the French Mandate of Syria, the position of the grand mufti continued under local religious leadership.

[10] The decision to abolish the position of grand mufti occurred shortly after Sheikh Ahmad Hassoun, the then-current officeholder, made a statement during the funeral of renowned Aleppo singer Sabah Fakhri.

This interpretation drew significant attention and was widely seen as controversial, generating both religious and public debate regarding his approach to scriptural exegesis and its implications amid Syria's ongoing conflict.

The abolishment attracted a significant shift for Syria, which, for the first time since its independence, lacks a designated role solely responsible for issuing fatwas.

[9] Several groups and critics, including Aix-Marseille University researcher Thomas Pierret view this as a demographic transitions in Syria, suggesting a diminishing of Sunni authority[14] and its influence over religious rulings, personal status laws, and endowment regulations.

[16] Although the specific duties and influence of the office varied over time, the grand mufti's general responsibilities include, issuing fatwas and providing advisory support.

In the modern history of Syria, some grand muftis including Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun[18] and Ahmed Kuftaro[19] supported government policies, particularly during times of national crisis,[18][20] while others such as Osama al-Rifai opposed them, which has sometimes led to both domestic and international controversy.

Bashar al-Assad's government leveraged the grand mufti's office to gain perceived Sunni religious support amid Syrian civil war and humanitarian crisis.

[22][23] Sheikh Ahmad Hassoun, during his time as grand mufti, publicly aligned with the Assad regime on various issues, which some critics interpreted as providing religious legitimacy to government actions.

While there is no direct evidence confirming Hassoun's role in these executions, his public support of the Assad regime on security and anti-opposition measures has led to perceptions of endorsement by association.