Chief Adviser and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus has once again been named in the 2026 edition of The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims.
The list is published by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, a Jordan-based research organisation. According to the list, Yunus ranks 50th among the world’s most influential Muslim figures and is mentioned as the “interim prime minister of Bangladesh.”
He had made it to this list previously in 2024 and 2025.
The top position on this year’s list is held by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, followed by Pakistan’s prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani in second place and Yemeni Sufi scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz in third.
Rounding out the top ten are – Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran (4th); His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan (5th); Grand Sheikh Dr Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyeb of Al-Azhar University (6th); Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (7th); King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia (8th); Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (9th); and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (10th).
Islam remains one of the most influential religions in the world, with more than two billion adherents – roughly one-quarter of the global population. Despite differences in nations, races, and cultures, Muslims around the world are united as one Ummah, or global community.
There are 56 Muslim-majority countries, with about 20% of the world’s Muslims residing in Asia.
Since 2009, The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre has published The Muslim 500 annually, recognising individuals who have made significant impacts across politics, religion, social welfare, culture, economics, and media.
