In its recent publication The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre has named former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-chief of army staff General (Retd) Raheel Sharif and Malala Yousafzai as few of the most influential Muslims currently.
Bilquis Edhi, the wife of the late humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, has also been recognised for her philanthropy and charity work in the list by the independent research entity based in Jordan.
The list names 31 Pakistanis, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq, human rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir, singer Abida Parveen, Dr Adib Rizvi and Maulana Tariq Jameel.
The list acknowledges ‘influential Muslims’ from 13 different categories of influence, including philanthropy, arts and culture, “extremists”, science and technology, politics and the administration of religious affairs.
Al-Azhar University Grand Sheikh Professor Dr Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyeb has been named as the most influential Muslim. Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud is on the second spot while Jordanian King Abdullah II has been ranked third.
Pakistani religious scholar Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani has been ranked seventh, and upstart Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman 13th.