Anwar makes top 10 in 2025 world’s most influential Muslims ranking
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been named among the world’s 50 most influential Muslims in the 2025 edition of The Muslim 500.
The annual publication recognises global Muslim figures who have made significant contributions to politics, religion, education, and social development.
Anwar was 10th overall and seventh under the category of “Rulers and Politicians”, joining leaders such as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
This year’s top five positions were led by Sheikh Tamim, Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Erdoğan, and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud.
The inclusion of Anwar, Malaysia’s tenth prime minister, places him among a select group of leaders shaping policy and moral discourse in the Muslim world.
Other regional figures recognised include Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Singapore’s Mufti Nazirudin Nasir, highlighting Southeast Asia’s growing influence.
The publication described Anwar’s political journey as one defined by resilience and reform after decades marked by imprisonment, opposition, and eventual triumph.
The report recounted his years of political persecution, calling his royal pardon in 2018 “a restoration of justice” that paved the way for his eventual rise to the premiership in 2022.
It also cited his international recognition as a peace mediator, particularly his role in easing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia after border clashes.
Anwar’s strong advocacy for Palestinian rights was highlighted, along with his criticism of social media platforms for removing his tributes to late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The publication quoted Anwar’s statement urging Meta to “cease this display of cowardice” and stop “acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime.”
[Source: Malay Mail]
