Muslims Shine in 100 Most Influential List

CAIRO – Celebrating their achievements, the Time magazine has named several Muslim leaders and icons in its 2015 list of 100 most influential people in the world.

The list, which was released this week, showcases five categories; Titans, Pioneers, Artists, Leaders and Icons.

Muslim leaders like the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and King Salman of Saudi Arabia were named by the Time.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi were also included in the list.

Influential Muslim women like Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and Afghanistan's first lady Rula Ghani were also mentioned for their crucial lure in championing education and women's rights.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari was declared as new Nigerian president after a closely fought election last March, becoming the first Nigerian to oust a president through the ballot box.

The former military ruler won a rare reputation as a fighter against corruption during his short term in office from 1983 to 1985.

Most Nigerians agree he did not use the presidency to enrich himself and his backers. His iron-fisted administration jailed several politicians on graft charges.

"From battling the Boko Haram insurgency to tackling endemic corruption, Buhari has many challenges ahead," Aryn Baker, Time's Africa bureau chief, said.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala is deemed as a symbol of girls’ struggle for education. She rose to fame in 2009 for her anti-Taliban blog billed as “Gul Makai (cornflower) for the BBC against Taliban when she was merely 11.

The 17-year-old girl stole international attention in 2012 after she was shot by Taliban militants over her campaign to encourage more girls to go to school in Pakistan.

Last October, the Pakistani activist shared the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with the Indian Children's right activist Kaliash Satyarthi, becoming the youngest ever Nobel laureate.

Earlier in April, an asteroid was named after the Muslim girl by a NASA astronomer who decided to attach her name to the planet he discovered five years ago to honor the young Muslim pioneer.

"Malala has shown that education is crucial for laying a foundation for girls and boys to have secure lives," Mezon  Almellehan, a 16-year-old education activist and student, wrote about Malala. "Education is the only way to regain our spirit and control over our lives."

Indonesian President Joko Widodo

Widodo, widely known as Jokowi, was sworn in as Indonesian president in October 2014.

The former Jakarta governor won a narrow victory over the 62-year-old ex-general Prabowo, making him a new star for Indonesians.

Jokowi, the Democratic-Party of Struggle’s candidate, has sowed hopes among Indonesians through his promises of a “new, clean leadership that consolidates democracy”

Since his election last year as President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo has brought youthful energy and a popular touch to his large and diverse nation, the world’s fourth most populous and home to the largest Muslim population of any country," Paul Wolfowitz, former president of the World Bank and former U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, told the Time.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 79, was announced as the new Saudi king last January after the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud. Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz became the new crown prince.

The new King is Abdullah’s third heir to the throne who was named crown prince in June 2012 after two elder brothers died in late 2011 and mid-2012.

Being a longtime governor of the capital Riyadh, Salman has a reputation as a progressive and practical prince similar in bearing to his late brother.

"King Salman carries with him the best traditions of leadership and stands uniquely qualified to lead the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia toward the future," King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, said.

source :onislam