The 500 Most Influential Muslims

The publication highlights people who are influential as Muslims. That is people whose influence is derived from their practice of Islam or from the fact that they are Muslim. The influence can be of a religious scholar directly addressing Muslims and influencing their beliefs, ideas and behaviour, or it can be of a ruler shaping the socio-economic factors within which people live their lives, or of artists shaping popular culture. The first two examples also point to the fact that the lists, and especially the Top 50, are dominated by religious scholars and heads of state. Their dominant and lasting influence cannot be denied, especially the rulers, who in many cases also appoint religious scholars to their respective positions. Nominations are evaluated on the basis of the influence that particular Muslims have had within the Muslim community and the manner in which their influence has benefited the Muslim community, both within the Islamic world and in terms of representing Islam to non-Muslims. "Influential" for the purposes of the book is defined as "any person who has the power (be it cultural, ideological, financial, political or otherwise) to make a change that will have a significant impact on the Muslim World". The publication defines eligible entries with the following: "Traditional Islam (96% of the world's Muslims): Also known as Orthodox Islam, this ideology is not politicized and largely based on consensus of correct opinion—thus including the Sunni, Shi'a, and Ibadi branches of practice (and their subgroups) within the fold of Islam, and not groups such as the Druze or the Ahmadiyya, among others." The book starts with an overall top 50, ranked the most influential Muslims in the world. The remaining 450 most prominent Muslims is broken down into 15 categories without ranking, The publication also gives an insight into the different ways that Muslims impact the world and also shows the diversity of how people are living as Muslims today. The book's appendices comprehensively list populations of Muslims in nations worldwide, and its introduction gives a snapshot view of different ideological movements within the Muslim world, breaking down clearly distinctions between traditional Islam and recent radical innovations. ==Publications==

2009 edition In 2009, the book was edited by Professors John L. Esposito and Ibrahim Kalin at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The 500 most influential Muslims were chosen largely in terms of their overt influence. In total 72 Americans are among the 500, a disproportionately strong showing. The women featured had a separate section from the men. The listing also includes an extensive Arts and Culture Section. The general Arts and Culture Section included the names of singers Salif Keita, Youssou N'Dour, Raihan, Yusuf Islam and Sami Yusuf, Dawud Wharnsby; musician A. R. Rahman (India); film stars Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan; comedian Azhar Usman and martial artist Ma Yue. All the Qāriʾs (Quran reciters) listed in the book are from Saudi Arabia. 2011 edition In 2011, achievements of a lifetime were given more weight than achievements within the current year. which meant that the lists of names were going to change gradually, rather than dramatically, year-on-year. The Arab Spring had no impact on Saudi King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia's influence, it had boosted King Mohammed VI of Morocco's influence, who moved up to second place, and it had no effect on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who came in third place. Erdoğan was expected by many to receive the top spot in light of the Arab Spring. Erdoğan was credited with Turkey's "Muslim democracy", and was seen as the leader of a country that, as the Brookings Institution said, "played the 'most constructive' role in the Arab events." Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani influence rose during the Arab Spring, moving him to sixth place. He had driven much of the Arab Spring through the coverage given by Al Jazeera, given financial support to protesters and political support to Libya, making him arguably the biggest enabler of the Arab Spring. 2012 edition In 2012, the edition was published by S. Abdallah Schleifer, professor emeritus and Senior Fellow Kamal Adham Center for Television & Digital Journalism, the American University in Cairo. There were more Muslims from America than any other country again with 41 spots on the 500 list. Countries with the next highest number of names were Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, with 25 Muslims each, followed by Indonesia, with 24. It lists the winners according to 13 categories, including spiritual guides, Quran reciters, scholars, politicians, celebrities, sports figures, radicals, and media leaders. For the fourth year running, Saudi king Abdullah bin Abdulaziz topped the list. He was followed by Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at second place. Erdoğan's advance gave him advantage over Moroccan King Mohammed VI who took the third place. Fourth place went to Mohammed Badie, whose name appeared in the top 10 for the first time. He was followed by Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who took the fifth place. Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmad el-Tayeb and prominent Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi who is President of Global Association of Muslim Scholars, also made it to the top 10 ranks. The top of the list went to Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand sheikh of the Al Azhar University for the prominent role played by him in Egypt's troubled democratic transition. His astute decision making over the past couple of years has preserved the traditional approach of Al-Azhar which faced threats from Islamists and Salafis in the years that have followed Mubarak's fall. His public support of General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's coup also gave it a strong religious grounding that was necessary for it to achieve the legitimacy needed to prevent a civil war, effectively making him a "king-maker" and cementing his place at the top of the list. The top 50 fit into six broad categories: 12 were political leaders (kings, generals, presidents), four are spiritual leaders (Sufi shaykhs), 14 are national or international religious authorities, three are "preachers", six are high-level scholars, 11 are leaders of movements or organizations. In total 72 Americans are among the 500 most influential Muslims, a disproportionately strong showing, but only one among the top 50, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson of Zaytuna Institute listed at number 38. There were 32 newcomers to the 2016 list. As in past years, there continued to be more Muslims from the United States than any other country. Since at least 2012, the U.S. has outpaced nations with a far larger Muslim population, with at least 40 notable people of influence, with Pakistan (33), Saudi Arabia (32), Egypt (27) and the UK (27). 2018 edition In 2018, the top five were Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayeeb of Egypt; King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan; Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran; President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey. 2019 edition In 2019, the top five were President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey; King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan; Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran; King Mohammad VI of Morocco. 2020 edition In 2020, the top five were Sheikh Mufti Taqi Usmani of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey; King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran; King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan. The Woman of the Year was Rashida Tlaib of the United States and the Man of the Year was Imran Khan of Pakistan. 2021 edition In 2021, the top five were President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan president of Turkey; King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran, and King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan. The Woman of the Year was Bilkis Bano of India and the Man of the Year was Ilham Tohti of China. 2022 edition In 2022, the top five were Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar; King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei of Iran; President Recep Tayyib Erdoğan of Turkey, and King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Woman of the Year was President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and the Man of the Year was Uğur Şahin of Germany. 2023 edition In 2023, the top five were Salman bin Saudi Arabia king Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Sayyid Ali Khamenei Supreme Leader of Iran, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al-Thani Emir of Qatar, President Recep Tayyib Erdoğan of Turkey, and King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Woman of the Year was Aisha Abdurrahman Bewley and the Man of the Year was Mahmood Madani President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind from India. 2024 edition In 2024, the top five were Habib Umar bin Hafiz, founder and dean of Dar al-Mustafa Islamic seminary, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Sayyid Ali Khamenei Supreme Leader of Iran, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Woman of the Year was Edna Adan Ismail and the Man of the Year was Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. ==Current top nine==