The Pecking Order within the Islamic world

JOSEPH LUMBARD and AREF ALI NAYED compile the list of the 500 most influential people in the Islamic world alongwith a brief history of Islam and its canon, and summarize the key Islamic doctrines and schools of thought and their relative influence within the ummah. In a report "The 500 Most Influential Muslims - 2010", the second in successive years published by the Amman-based Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, the king of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud continues to be the most influential Muslim in the world.
More than 25 of the top 50 influential Muslims are from the Middle East due to its special status as the heart of the Ummah with the holy sites, clergy, royalty and Islamic scholarship with leadership from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Turkey alongwith its Cypriot area also lays claim to the top status with PM Recep Erdogan vaulting to #2 this year from #5 in 2009, possibly as a result of the recent change in strategy towards Israel. Surprisingly, Iran and Iraq are home to a total of only 3 top influencers with Ali Khamenei dropping to #3 from #2 in 2009.
In the sub-continent, India continues to have 3 individuals in the top 50 with Akhtar Raza Khan, the Grand Mufti of India at #26, Mahmood Madani of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind at #40 and Burhanuddin Saheb at #47. Abd al Wahhab, the Amir of Tablighi Jamaat (#16) and Taqi Usmani (#31) are the two Pakistanis making the top 50 cut this year while disgraced scientist AQ Khan has exited the top 50 this year while continuing to remain in the top 500 under the Science and Technology category. President Yudhoyono of the largest Islamic democracy, Indonesia makes a strong showing to finish at #9 in 2010. Hasan Nasrallah (#18) of the Hezbollah and Khaled Meshal (#38) retain significant influence while the Secretary-General of the OIC, Dr. Ihsanoglu has dropped down 4 places from #40 to #44.
Sheikha Munira Qubeysi of Syria, the leader of the largest women-only Islamic movement at #24 and Queen Rania of Jordan at #30 are the only two females in the top 50.