ISLAMABAD (The COW News Digital) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir have been named among five joint number-one figures in the 2027 edition of The Muslim 500, an annual publication recognising the most influential Muslim personalities worldwide.
The latest edition also features Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the joint top position.
Published by Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), the 2027 edition marks the 18th annual publication of the influential ranking.
For the first time, the publication has recognised five global leaders jointly at the top, highlighting their political, military and strategic influence across the Muslim world.
A special feature titled “Joint Number One” explains the decision by highlighting the growing strategic and defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
The publication identifies the defence agreement signed on August 7, 2026, as a significant factor in strengthening cooperation among the three countries. It highlights their combined military capabilities, financial resources and defence technology as important elements of their strategic partnership.
Regarding Pakistan, the report recognises Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s political leadership and administrative role in facilitating the agreement. Field Marshal Asim Munir is highlighted for his contribution to Pakistan’s military capabilities and defence cooperation.
However, the publication’s Top 50 ranking chart presents a slightly different order. Saudi Arabia’s leadership appears at number one, Pakistan’s leadership at number two and Turkish President Erdogan at number three, while the special feature and accompanying profiles describe all five leaders as jointly ranked number one.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has been placed fourth, followed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II at fifth and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at sixth.
Pakistan’s prominent religious scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani secured seventh position.
Other notable international figures include Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at number 13 and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at number 16.
Several other Pakistani personalities have also been included in the publication, including religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil, Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Nazar-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadri.
According to RISSC, the rankings are not based solely on official positions or public popularity. The selection process considers individuals’ religious, political, economic, social, academic and cultural influence, alongside their lifetime contributions.
The publication features more than 500 influential Muslim personalities from around the world, with the first 50 receiving numerical rankings and the remaining individuals grouped into different professional and social categories, including religion, politics, business, science, technology, media, arts and sports.
The latest recognition places Pakistan’s political and military leadership prominently among influential figures across the Muslim world.
