In a significant recognition, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside other distinguished Nigerian Muslims, has been featured in the prestigious annual publication of the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan, which lists the 500 most influential Muslims globally.

This marks President Tinubu’s first appearance on this esteemed list, coinciding with his ascension to Nigeria’s presidency earlier this year.

Notably, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has consistently been a part of this list in previous years, is absent from the latest edition. Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto is placed among the top 50 influential Muslims worldwide.

Among the notable Nigerian Muslims included in this publication are Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, the National Missioner and Chief Imam of Ansar Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria. He has been a prominent figure in this list since 2016 when he was first recognized.

In its 15th edition, the publication ranks Shaykh Habib ‘Umar bin Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafiz, Director of Dar al-Mustafa in Yemen, as the world’s most influential Muslim leader.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia and Grand Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, follow as the second and third most influential Muslims, respectively.

Furthermore, the publication provides insights into the global Muslim population, which is estimated at 2,074,718,394 individuals.

This list of influential Muslims encompasses various categories, such as Scholarly, Administration of Religious Affairs, Preachers and Religious Guides, Social Issues, Business and Philanthropy, Charity and Development, and more.

In Nigeria, President Tinubu is categorized under political leaders, and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, stands as the sole Nigerian listed in the Business Category, ranking at number 162 in terms of influence.

Additional Nigerian figures recognized in the publication include Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the 14th Emir of Kano and Grand Khalifat of the Tijaniyah; Prof. Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, Secretary General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Registrar of the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board; Ado Bayero; and Sheikh Ahmad, all under the category of administration of religious affairs.

Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, is included in the scholarly category, alongside other influential figures like Sheikh Tahir Usman Bauchi, Imam Muhammad Ashafa, HE Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini, Sheikh Yakubu Musa Katsina, and Sheikh Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari.

In addition to these prominent figures, the late Prince Ajibola Bola, a former Judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, who passed away on April 9, 2023, is recognized in the obituary category.

This list acknowledges the remarkable influence and contributions of these individuals as Muslims, both within the Islamic world and in their roles as ambassadors of Islam to non-Muslims.