De 500 Meest invloedrijke moslims

The publication is the first of what we hope will be an annual series that provides a window into the movers and shakers of the Muslim world.

We hebben gestreefd naar mensen die invloedrijk als moslims hoogtepunt, that is, people whose influence is derived from their practice of Islam or from the fact that they are Muslim.

We think that this gives valuable insight into the different ways that Muslims impact the world, and also shows the diversity of how people are living as Muslims today.

Influence is a tricky concept. Its meaning derives from the Latin word influens meaning to flow-in, wijzend op een oud astrologisch idee dat onzichtbare krachten (like the moon) de mensheid beïnvloeden. The figures on this list have the ability to affect humanity too. In a variety of different ways each person on this list has influence over the lives of a large number of people on the earth. De 50 most influential figures are profiled. Hun invloed komt uit verschillende bronnen; however they are unified by the fact that they each affect huge swathes of humanity.

We have then broken up the 500 leiders in 15 categorieën—Wetenschappelijk, politiek, administratief, afstamming, predikers, Vrouwen, Jeugd, Filantropie, Ontwikkeling, Wetenschap en technologie, Kunst en cultuur, Media, radicalen, International Islamic Networks, and Issues of the Day—to help you understand the different kinds of ways Islam and Muslims impact the world today.

Two composite lists show how influence works in different ways: International Islamic Networks shows people who are at the head of important transnational networks of Muslims, and Issues of the Day highlights individuals whose importance is due to current issues affecting humanity.