01-Contents Page.indd - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre

Lineage
LINEAGE
Middle East and North Africa
IRAQ
al sadr, sheikh muqtada
Al Sadr is the son of the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadiq al Sadr, and an
influential Shi‘a political leader. He has gained prominence since the death of Saddam Hussein and
created the Mahdi Army in 2003, an armed insurgency movement that has formed its own courts
and system of law enforcement. Al Sadr promotes a Shi‘a-controlled government and along with
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani he is one of the two most important Shi‘a leaders in Iraq. Although there
are more qualified Shi‘a scholars, Sadr’s social and political role make him extremely important.
JORDAN
his royal highness prince el hassan bin talal
HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal is an eminent thinker on development and Islam, and has been
recognized around the globe for his work, winning a number of awards for his interfaith activities.
In addition to his noble lineage and to his being the brother of HM the late King Hussein of Jordan,
Oxford-educated Prince El Hassan has been one of the leading intellectuals of the Arab world for
decades, and one of the pioneers of interfaith dialogue. Among his achievements are: founding the
Arab Thought Forum (1981); founding the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (1994); and being
President Emeritus of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (since 2006).
SUDAN
al mahdi, his excellency imam sayyed al sadiq
Al Mahdi is the president of the moderate Islamic Umma Party, and the imam of the Sufi order Al
Ansar. He was prime minister of Sudan until the government was overthrown and he was forced
into exile. Al Mahdi has now returned and is working to restore peace and democracy in the Sudan.
He derives a significant portion of his authority from the fact that he descends from Muhammad
Ahmad, who claimed to be the Mahdi, a prophesied figure that many Muslims believe will return
to revive the Islamic faith.
SYRIA
al yaqoubi, sheikh muhammad [new]
Sheikh al Yaqoubi traces his lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson al-Hasan. A
widely revered scholar, al Yaqoubi’s influence has spread as far as Europe, where the Islamic Society
of Stockholm elected him as the mufti of Sweden.
West Africa
NIGERIA
bayero, his royal highness amir al haji dr ado
HRH Ado Bayero is the current Amir of Kano. The Amir is the traditional ruler of the Nigerian
city of Kano, which is the capital of Kano State. Bayero is a popular leader amongst a wide variety
of Nigerian Muslims. He is an influential Tijani sheikh, with lineage back to the prominent
Fulani jihadist and religious reformer Osman Dan Fodio. HRH Ado Bayero is regarded as a wise
counselor both at home and abroad because of his experience and ability to mediate between
cultures, which makes him an important asset in promoting mutual understanding and resolving
conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups.
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