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

26
HIS EMINENCE MOHAMMAD BIN MOHAMMAD AL MANSOUR
Imam of the Zaidi Sect of Shi‘a Muslims
His Eminence Mohammad bin Mohammad al Mansour is the
Imam of the Zaidi branch of the Shi‘a sect of Muslims, one of
the three main branches of Shi‘a Islam. With approximately
ten million followers Zaidis constitute almost half the entire
population of Yemen, and around 3% in Saudi Arabia.
Lineage in the Imamate
Al Mansour is the current Imam of the Zaidi Muslims, a
Shi‘a sect named after the followers of Zaid bin Ali, grandson
of al Hussein (grandson of the Prophet Muhammad). The
sect was formed by the followers of Zaid bin Ali who led an
unsuccessful revolt against the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al Malik in 740 CE.
Current Social Influence
In the past decade a Zaidi movement known as the Shabab al Mumineen led by Hussein
al Houthi has been gaining prominence in the northwest of Yemen. This has stoked some
sectarian rivalry in Yemen, between the Zaidi and radical anti-Shi‘a groups who are fearful of
the resurgence of Zaidi rule in Yemen. Al Mansour has maintained his quietist approach and has
respect in Yemeni society. He was influential in stemming the escalation of conflict in 2005.
72
27
HIS EMINENCE JUSTICE SHEIKH MUHAMMAD TAQI USMANI
Leading Scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence
Justice Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani is a leading
scholar of Islamic jurisprudence. He is considered to be
the intellectual leader of the Deobandi movement.
Leading Islamic Finance Scholar
Usmani's chief influence comes from his position as a
global authority on the issue of Islamic finance. He has
served on the boards and as chairman of over a dozen
Islamic banks and financial institutions, and currently leads
the International Shariah Council for the Accounting and
Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions
Country: Yemen
Date of Birth: 1917
Source of Influence: Lineage,
Scholarly
Influence: Imam of
approximately 10 million
Zaidi Shi'a in Yemen and
Saudi Arabia
School of Thought:
Traditional Zaidi (Fiver) Shi'a
Country: Pakistan
Date of Birth: 1943
Source of Influence: Scholarly,
Lineage
Influence: One of the most
senior figures in Islamic finance,
and a leading scholar of the
Deobandi movement
School of Thought: Traditional
Sunni/Deobandi
(AAOIFI) in Bahrain. He is also deputy chairman of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference, one of the highest legal bodies in the Muslim world.
Deobandi Figurehead
Usmani is very important as a figurehead in the Deobandi movement—one of the most
successful of the Islamic revivalist initiatives of the past century. He was born in Deoband,
India, to Mufti Muhammad Shafi (the former Grand Mufti of Pakistan) who founded the
Darul 'Uloom Deoband, a leading center of Islamic education in Pakistan.