the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...

LINEAGE
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
IRAQ
al sadr, sheikh muqtada
Al Sadr is the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadiq al Sadr, and an influential
Shi‘a political leader. He has gained prominence since the death of Saddam Hussein and
created the Mahdi Army in 2003, an armed insurgency movement that has formed its own courts
and law enforcement. He promotes a Shi‘a-controlled government. Along with Grand Ayatollah Ali
Sistani he is one of the two most important Shi‘a leaders in Iraq. Although there are more qualified
Shi‘a scholars, Sadr’s social and political role make him critically important.
JORDAN
his royal highness prince el hassan bin talal
Prince El Hassan Bin Talal is an eminent thinker on development and Islam, and has been recognized
around the globe for his work, winning a number of awards for his interfaith activities. In
addition to his noble lineage and to his being the brother of the late H.M. King Hussein of Jordan,
Oxford-educated Prince El Hassan has been one of the leading intellectuals of the Arab world for
decades, and one of the pioneers of interfaith dialogue. Among his achievements are: founding the
Arab Thought Forum (1981); founding the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (1994); and being
President Emeritus of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (since 2006).
SUDAN
al mahdi, his excellency imam sayyed al sadiq
Al Mahdi is the president of the moderate Islamic Umma Party, and the Imam of the Sufi order Al
Ansar. He was prime minister of Sudan until the government was overthrown. He was forced into
exile, but now has returned and is working to restore peace and democracy in the Sudan. He derives
a significant portion of his authority from the fact that he descends from his great grandfather
Muhammad Ahmad, who claimed to be the Mahdi, that is a prophesized figure believed by many
Muslims to return to revive the Islamic faith.
WEST AFRICA
NIGERIA
bayero, his royal highness emir al haji dr ado
Ado Bayero is the current Emir of Kano. The Emir is the traditional ruler of the Nigerian city of
Kano, which is the capital of the current Kano State. Bayero is a popular leader amongst a wide
variety of Nigerian Muslims. He is an influential Tijani sheikh, with lineage back to the prominent
Fulani jihadist, and religious reformer, Osman Dan Fodio. He is regarded as a wise counselor both
at home and abroad because of his experience and ability to mediate between cultures, which makes
him an important asset in promoting mutual understanding and resolving conflicts between different
ethnic and religious groups.
EUROPE
ALBANIA
bardhi, his eminence haxhi dede reshat
Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi is the world leader of the Bektashi community, a seven million member
strong Sufi order based in Albania. He has been internationally recognized for his active role in
interfaith cooperation and encouraging peace in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
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