THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS - CESD

15AMR KHALEDPreacher and Social ActivistAmr Khaled has been a televangelist to the Islamicworld since 1998. Khaled was described as the ‘world’smost influential Muslim television preacher’ by TheNew York Times Magazine, and ranked as the 13th mostinfluential person in the world by TIME Magazine in2007. He communicates through his TV shows and webcampaigns using Islamic ethics as a way to inspire, andfoster community development, tolerance and interculturalrelations.Country: EgyptDate of Birth: 5 September1967Source of Influence: Media,YouthInfluence: Most popularpersonal website in the worldwith 20 million regular users;232,219 fans on 79 Facebookgroups; Approx. 2 million hitson 200 YouTube videosSchool of Thought: TraditionalSunni in a modern styleRank: 2010:15 · 2009:14 Popular Media FigurePart of Khaled’s influence derives from the fact that heappeals to the common person. He holds a degree inaccounting, and has no formal religious education; hewears suits and ties, not flowing robes; and has a cleanshavenface except for a trimmed moustache—everythingyou do not expect from a Muslim preacher. His everyman appeal has led to immensepopularity. Khaled’s television shows are broadcast by four Arab satellite stations but airprimarily on Saudi-based religious channel Iqraa. Khaled’s speeches are published online,on bestselling cassettes and CDs. His website is translated from Arabic into nearly twentylanguages and it rivals Oprah Winfery’s in terms of traffic.Voice for YouthAmr Khaled is a pioneering Muslim preacher and effective social activist who is revered bymany as the leader of a revival in the Muslim world, but his influence stems largely from thefact that he engages young people. Youth in the Middle East and North Africa face disproportionatechallenges, such as unemployment and social exclusion—obstacles, which make itdifficult to compete with development in other areas of the world. Faith is important to youngpeople in the Middle East, but they do not connect with the majority of preachers whoseteachings do not speak to the problems in their lives. Khaled is credited with the launch ofthe first “Muslim reality TV show” Mujaddidun on Dubai Television, where 16 young participantsfrom all over the Arab world compete over who can make the most morally-consciouscontributions to their societies.Community DevelopmentKhaled’s goal is to encourage community development in the Muslim world by its own peoplewith religious faith as the guiding inspiration—something he believes should be linkedto interfaith dialogue, tolerance and moderation. The break up of communities is somethingKhaled sees as responsible for the malaise in the Muslim world, and something he believesputs the future of young people in jeopardy. One program he has launched to realize thisobjective of community development is Life Makers, which has a stated goal of producing arenaissance for the Arab and Muslim world.56