the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
the 500 most influential muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...
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SHEIKH HAMZA YUSUF HANSON<br />
Founder of Zaytuna Institute, United States of America<br />
Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson is <strong>the</strong> Western world's <strong>most</strong><br />
<strong>influential</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> scholar. He is seen as one of <strong>the</strong> fore<strong>most</strong><br />
authorities on Islam outside of <strong>the</strong> Muslim world, having<br />
spent a decade learning at some of <strong>the</strong> premier institutions<br />
in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> world. He runs <strong>the</strong> incredibly successful<br />
Zaytuna Institute in California.<br />
American Scholar<br />
Hanson is fundamentally an American scholar. His popularity,<br />
and accordingly his influence, stem from <strong>the</strong> fact that although his knowledge of <strong>Islamic</strong><br />
scholarship is comparable to that of important scholars in Muslim countries, his application<br />
of it is rooted in <strong>the</strong> lived experience of a normal American. In his speeches he is able to relate<br />
<strong>Islamic</strong> teachings in a way that American Muslims find easy to understand.<br />
Educator<br />
Hanson is one of <strong>the</strong> founders of <strong>the</strong> Zaytuna Institute. This institute is one of <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> well<br />
respected centers of <strong>Islamic</strong> education in North America. It has been groundbreaking in<br />
combining cutting edge educational technologies with traditional <strong>Islamic</strong> education—setting<br />
<strong>the</strong> standard for <strong>Islamic</strong> education in <strong>the</strong> West. Hanson has built a huge grassroots following,<br />
particularly among young western Muslims.<br />
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HIS EMINENCE SHEIKH PROFESSOR DR MUSTAFA CERIC<br />
Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina<br />
Mustafa Ceric is a guiding light for Islam in Europe and<br />
<strong>the</strong> leading <strong>Islamic</strong> authority; he became Grand Mufti<br />
of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993. He is outspoken on<br />
interfaith work in <strong>the</strong> Muslim world and considered one<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>most</strong> <strong>influential</strong> Muslim leaders of our time.<br />
Cross-Cultural Advocate<br />
In 2006, Ceric issued <strong>the</strong> 'Declaration of European Muslims'<br />
to <strong>the</strong> European Union stating that European Muslims are<br />
dedicated to <strong>the</strong> common values of law, tolerance, democracy<br />
and human rights, <strong>the</strong> value of life, faith, freedom, property,<br />
Country: United States<br />
Date of Birth: 1960<br />
Source of Influence: Scholarly<br />
Influence: Leading <strong>Islamic</strong><br />
authority in a country with 4.6<br />
million Muslims<br />
School of Thought: Traditional<br />
Sunni, Maliki, Asha'ri<br />
Country: Bosnia and<br />
Herzegovina<br />
Date of Birth: 1952<br />
Source of Influence:<br />
Administrative, Scholarly<br />
Influence: Grand Mufti of<br />
approximately 2.3 million<br />
Bosnian Muslims<br />
School of Thought: Traditional<br />
Sunni<br />
and dignity. In May 2009 Ceric stood against warnings of possible violent protest by visiting<br />
Serbia and spoke at a sermon in <strong>the</strong> town of Tutin about <strong>the</strong> need for Bosnian and Serbian<br />
Muslims to unite as one entity.<br />
Peace Activist<br />
Ceric joined <strong>the</strong> International Religious Advisory Council of <strong>the</strong> Tony Blair Faith Foundation in<br />
2008, committing himself to its mission of promoting respect and religious pluralism through<br />
discussions on social injustices.