Dr. Azza Karam named one of the World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims

Dr. Azza Karam [Secretary General Elect, Religions for Peace] has been named to The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre’s annual report, “The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims” for the year 2020.

The publication seeks to “ascertain the influence some Muslims have on this community, or on behalf of the community.” They define influence as, “any person who has the power (be it cultural, ideological, financial, political or otherwise) to make a change that will have a significant impact on the Muslim world.”

The publishers note that determining how to measure influence is the most challenging aspect of the publication. Influence can sometimes be gauged on a quantitative basis, but more often it is not something measurable in quantitative terms and is more related to the qualitative and lasting effect of that influence.

To gauge public opinion, there is a month-long open call for nominations every year. Publishers also take into account expert opinions on how to appropriately measure influence. Lifetime achievements are given more weight than achievements within the current year, though Dr. Karam notably achieved a great deal in 2019, as the first woman and first Muslim to be elected and affirmed as the Secretary General of Religions for Peace, the largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action among the world’s religious communities for peace.

In several interviews, Dr. Karam has explained that, while it is an accomplishment for anyone to serve in this capacity, it is even more notable that diverse religious leaders and people of faith globally felt prepared and eager to elect and accept her as the new leader of this multi-religious coalition.

Religions for Peace extends its enthusiastic congratulations to Secretary General Elect, Dr. Azza Karam on this most deserved recognition.

In addition to Secretary General Elect, Dr. Azza Karam, being named one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims, several other Religions for Peace leaders have also been recognized.

50 Most Influential:
HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah – President, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies; Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace
Professor KH Said Aqil Siradj – Chairman, Nahdlatul Ulama; Co-President, Religions for Peace⠀⠀
HRE Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh As-Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III – Sultan of Sokoto, Sultanate of Sokoto; Co-President, Religions for Peace ⠀⠀
Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson – Founder, Zaytuna Institute; Co-President, Religions for Peace⠀
Sheikh Usama Al-Sayyid Al-Azhari – Azhari Scholar; Co-President, Religions for Peace

Honorable Mention for 50 most influential:⠀
Dr. Din Syamsuddin – Chairman, Advisory Council of Indonesian Council of Ulama; Moderator, Asian Conference of Religions for Peace

500 Most Influential:
Ayatollah Mohaghegh Damad – Dean, Department of Islamic Studies, The Academy of Sciences of Iran; Honorary President, Religions for Peac
Dr. Mustafa Ceric – Raisu-L-Ulama Emeritus, Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honorary President, Religions for Peace
H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri – Former Director General, Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; International Trustee, Religions for Peace
Prof. Dr. Haedar Nashir – Chair, Muhammadiyah, Indonesia; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Imam Mohamed Magid – Executive Imam, All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center; Chairman, International Interfaith Peace Corps; Co-President, Religions for Peace
Religions for Peace extends its most sincere congratulations to all of our esteemed leaders on this much deserved recognition.