Nobel Laureate and head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has been included in the list of the “World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims 2026,” published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC) based in Jordan.
The annual publication, titled “The Muslim 500: 500 Most Influential Muslims 2026,” placed Dr. Yunus at the 50th position. The list identifies him as the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s Interim Government.
At the top of this year’s ranking is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar. He is followed by Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani, the renowned Pakistani scholar, and Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, a Yemeni Sufi leader.
Other notable names in the top 10 include:
- Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran
- King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein, King of Jordan
- Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyeb, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar University
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey
- King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE
- Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia
Since 2009, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre has annually published The Muslim 500, recognizing influential Muslim figures worldwide across fields including politics, religion, social service, economics, culture, and media.
With over 2 billion Muslims globally — about a quarter of the world’s population — Islam remains one of the most significant religions influencing global affairs.
