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

PREACHERS
Middle East and North Africa
EGYPT
abdelkafy, sheikh dr omar
Abdelkafy is an Egyptian preacher and da’wa practitioner. He is very well-respected by his peers as
a Hafiz of the Qur’an (one who has memorized the entire Qur’an). He is also the director of the
Qur’anic Studies Centre at the Dubai International Holy Qur’an Award. As well as working in his
native Egypt, he travels abroad to help Muslim communities, working specifically with the Muslim
community in Canada.
IRAQ
kubaisi, sheikh dr ahmed
Kubaisi is a very popular Sunni cleric and preacher in Iraq, who preaches for the end of foreign
occupation in Iraq and the institution of an Islamic state. To this end he is a spokesperson of the
Sunni Ulema Council, an important association of Sunni Muslim scholars in Iraq. Kubaisi leads
prayers that are televised worldwide from the state mosque of Abu Dhabi.
SUDAN
el bashir, his excellency dr issam
El Bashir is the secretary general of the International Moderation Centre (IMC) in Kuwait. The
IMC is an organization set up by the Higher Committee for the Promotion of Moderation of
the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs; its aim is to promote Islamic moderation
domestically and around the world. The center has worked with communities in Britain and
Russia, among other places, to promote moderation among the extremist elements of their Muslim
population. Locally it trains over 700 imams at a time with a focus on practices of moderation.
al turabi, hassan abdallah
Al Turabi is a Sudanese religious leader. He is widely regarded as a moderate and uses Islamic
teachings to foster social development. Al Turabi is an advocate for women’s rights, and believes
Muslim fundamentalists place prohibitions above social development. He has recently stated that
Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir should give himself up to the International Criminal Court
for the sake of Sudan.
West Africa
NIGERIA
katsina, sheikh yakubu musa [new]
Sheikh Yakubu Musa Katsina is a popular preacher in Nigeria. He is also the leader of the Izala
revivalist sect in Katsina. The Izala, or Jama’at Izalatil Bidiawa Iqamatus Sunnah (Movement
Against Negative Innovations and for Orthodoxy) is an activist Sufi brotherhood which calls for
a return to the practices of the Prophet Muhammad and a true practice of Islam. Hailing from
Katsina, the predominantly Muslim city in northern Nigeria, Sheikh Katsina is outspoken against
corruption in the country.
Asia
INDIA
naik, dr zakir
Abdul-Karim Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik is an Indian public intellectual teaching about Islam. He
hosts huge public events where he speaks on Islam, highlighting misconceptions and promoting
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