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

BANGLADESH
yunus, mohammad
Mohammad Yunus is the founder of the Grameen Bank. He developed the concept of microcredit
for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. The bank is sharia-based but not sharia
compliant; it is pro-poor but takes interest. His efforts to create economic and social development
and to help the impoverished escape poverty by providing loans on terms suitable to them and
by teaching them a few sound financial principles have been recognized by many international
organizations including the King Hussein Foundation, Jordan and UNESCO.
CHINA
mariah, mah
Mariah Mah has been an educator for over 30 years while also continuing her family tradition
of carrying out charity work for the underprivileged in various rural areas of China. Along with
other volunteers, Mah provides community services including organizing sacrifices during special
days in the Islamic calendar, sponsoring underprivileged students and orphans for education,
distributing zakat, food and clothing to those who need it, and setting up educational centers in
remote villages in China.
INDONESIA
anwar, syafi’i
Anwar is the head of the International Center for Islam and Pluralism; and the chair of the South
East Asia Forum for Islam and Democracy. He vocally denounced the fatwa of the Indonesian
Ulema Council that deemed pluralism as ‘religiously unlawful’. His organization sees education as
a key part in the promotion of moderation and works to teach human rights to children in Islamic
boarding schools.
MALAYSIA
kader, mohideen abdul
Kader is vice president of the Consumers’ Association of Penang, which works to secure the rights
of every person to basic needs, clean and safe environment, and the development of indigenous
culture and knowledge. He is also a board member of Citizens International, an NGO working on
international political issues.
PAKISTAN
chaudry, chief justice iftikhar m
Chaudry is the current chief justice of Pakistan. Chaudry was the former president of the Supreme
Court Bar Association of Pakistan, and a key leader of the Lawyers’ Movement. The movement
started when he was suspended by President General Musharraf in March 2007, for refusing to
resign from his position.
edhi, abdul sattar
Abdul Sattar Edhi is the founder of Edhi Foundation; the largest and most organized social
welfare system in Pakistan. For over 50 years, Edhi has devoted his time and resources to help
the less fortunate by providing a range of services including a 24-hour emergency service across
the country through 300 'Edhi centers',which provide free burial of unclaimed dead bodies. He
also funds free hospitals and dispensaries; rehabilitation of drug addicts; shelter for the destitute,
orphans and handicapped persons; and national and international relief efforts for victims.
al qadri, dr muhammad tahir
Al Qadri is a politician, professor, and the founder of Minhaj ul Qur’an International Worldwide, an
organization whose aim is to establish unity and understanding between communities, and also the
founder of the Minhaj Welfare Foundation that provides welfare for the needy. He has authored some
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DEvELOPMENT