THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

IntroductionThe one clear exception to this rule however is Amr Khaled who throughsheer force of popularity and innovation—as the Muslim world’s firsttelevangelist— exerts tremendous influence as a Muslim. Khaled has beenable to chart his own course as a key figure in the Muslim world throughthe vehicle of mass media, and although as a layperson his religiousauthority is still somewhat limited he remains the great ‘start-up’ of thelist.Another important exception is Fethullah Gülen, a preacher, thinker andeducator. Although, he assumed the leadership of a religious movementstarted by Said Nursî (1878-1960) and thus leads an expansive network, hehas gone on to become a global phenomenon in his own right. Gülen’spopularity and authority in Turkey have been the driving force of the socialmovement that is widely thought to have brought around the social andeventually political changes of which politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan hasbeen the ultimate heir—that is the enfranchisement of Muslim politics inTurkey.Geography is also an important issue in terms of influence, with the MiddleEast and North America and Europe holding disproportionate influencein relation to the quantity of Muslims in these regions. It is importantto clarify that individuals from the Middle East have a disproportionateinfluence in the Muslim world, due to the fact that the region has manyof the oldest and most well-esteemed institutions for Muslims, and mostimportantly is home to the holy sites in Mecca and Medina. Europe andNorth America are host to a large proportion of the world’s most highlyrespected educational institutions and draw talented, influential peoplefrom around the world, with global outreach through their wealth andhigh academic standing. Many important international institutions arealso based in Europe and North America, which adds to this asymmetry.5