The 500 Most Influential Muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...

Political
Palestinian National Authority, a matter under political and legal dispute. After being dismissed by
President Mahmoud Abbas, Haniyah continued to exercise prime ministerial authority in the Gaza
Strip. Haniyah is a popular figure able to broaden the appeal of Hamas in Gazan politics.
SUDAN
al bashir, his excellency president omar
Al Bashir is the current president of Sudan and head of the National Congress Party. He came to
power in a coup in 1989 and has since instituted elements of sharia law throughout the country,
including in Christian and animist areas. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for al Bashir in 2009,
indicting him on five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, forcible transfer,
torture and rape) and two counts of war crimes (pillaging and intentionally directing attacks
against civilians).
SYRIA
al assad, his excellency president bashar
Al Assad is an Alawite Shi’a and president of the Syrian Arab Republic. He has broad appeal as a
leader of a predominantly Muslim country through a number of reforms that he instituted. He
changed the law soon after taking office to allow the wearing of hijab in public schools. He also
began permitting soldiers to pray in mosques. Assad has made an increasing amount of references
to Syria’s Islamic heritage in official speeches, signaling that Islam is not as feared as it once was by
the Syrian government.
TUNISIA
ghannushi, rashid
Ghannoushi has influenced Tunisian politics since the 1980s when he founded the Renaissance
Party. The Renaissance Party is an Islamic political party whose principles and ideals have been
widely accepted by Tunisians. Ghannoushi continues to lead the party in exile in London, and
writes prolifically. Although seen as a radical in Tunisia, he is respected throughout the world as a
proponent of Islamic democracy.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
al maktoum, his highness amir sheikh mohammed bin rashid [2009:21]
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is the Ruler of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the
United Arab Emirates. Although his influence has ebbed, especially in light of the financial crisis
and national debt facing Dubai and its major investment company, Dubai World, al Maktoum is
a well-respected politician in the Middle East. He has launched multiple charity initiatives from
Dubai, such as ‘Dubai Cares’ which has donated over $910 million to youth education initiatives in
impoverished countries since its inception in 2007.
al nahyan, his highness sheikh khalifa bin zayed
Al Nahyan is the president of one of the fastest-growing nations in the world, the United Arab
Emirates. He has significant power over the direction in which the Emirates go and has very clear
opinions about Islam’s role in the economic development of the UAE, saying that women are
accorded the right to work where they please as long as a respectful environment is maintained.
Under his leadership, the UAE has seen significant economic growth and the renaming of the Burj
Dubai to Burj Khalifa is considered a symbol of Al Nahyan’s financial power.
Middle Africa
CHAD
deby itno, his excellency president idriss
Deby is the president of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. He took power
in 1990, leading a predominantly Muslim army. Muslims make up around 55 percent of Chad’s 11
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