THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

DevelopmentUNITED KINGDOMazmi, dr waqarDr Waqar Azmi OBE founded the British Federation of Racial Equality Councils and is the formerchief diversity adviser at the Cabinet Office and is currently an EU Ambassador of InterculturalDialogue. In 2001 he became the youngest person from an ethnic minority to have a seniorexecutive role in the private sector, as chairman of Waterhouse Consulting Group. In 2002 Azmireceived an OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for his work.al banna, dr hanyAl Banna is the co-founder and president of Islamic Relief, the largest Western-based internationalMuslim relief and development NGO. Established in 1983, the organization provides assistance inover 30 countries worldwide. Queen Elizabeth honoured al Banna’s work, giving him an OBE forhis services to the community.boga, nizar [new]Nizar Boga is one of the trustees and directors of The Foundation Training Company, whichoffers prison-based resettlement programs and other community services. He is a Justice of thePeace, member of the Magistrates Association, a fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and isdistinguished for his work with various Muslim charity organizations and social service programs.He also serves as an imam at Broadmoor Hospital and Pentonville Prison.OceaniaAUSTRALIAel masri, hazemHazem el Masri is a former professional rugby league footballer for the Bulldogs club. A devoutMuslim, Masri is a respected figure in his community for his social work with young people.Central AmericaMEXICOweston, omarWeston is a British convert and the head of the Islamic Mexican Cultural Center. He is a foundingmember of Organizacion Islamica Para America Latina y el Caribe, the Caribbean Muslim Forum,and Campañia Libertad Religiosa y Derechos de Expression, an active group that focuses onreligious tolerance and freedom of religious practices. Weston is the director of Dar as SalamCentre Mexico, Centro Cultural Islamico de Mexico, and Viva Halal which assesses and certifiesMexican companies.South AmericaGUYANAkhan, faizulFaizul Khan has been credited with founding an Islamic school in Guyana at the age of 17 and hasplayed a strategic role in developing Muslim institutions both locally and abroad—particularly inthe US, where he is chapter member of the Islamic Society of North America.North AmericaCANADAalshareef, muhammad [new]Muhammad Alshareef is the founder of Al Maghrib Institute, an innovative Islamic educationalinstitution that offers university-level instruction of Islamic studies through seminars and retreats.147