Southeastern Michigan's own named as two of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World

Dr. Sherman A. Jackson 

The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talaal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre published its first edition in what promises to be an annual series of insight into the movers and shakers of the Muslim world.  Entitled The 500 Most Influential Muslims 2009, the book categorizes Muslims influential capacities into 15 categories: scholarly, political, administrative, lineage,preachers, women, youth, philanthrophy, development, science and technology, arts and culture, Qu'ran reciters, media,radicals, international islamic networks and issues of the day. 

    Among the Americans listed as scholars of influence is Dr. Sherman A. Jackson a professor and scholar currently at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Jackson is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan and a writer on Islam in the African-American community. He is the co-founder of the American Learning Institute for Muslims and is featured on the Washington Post-Newsweek blog 'On-Faith.'  

               Another Michigander honored is Sheikh Muhammed Hisham Kabbani. He is the founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, the chairman of the American Muslim Assistance relief organization, the founder of Kamilat, and a spiritual teacher of the Naqshabandi-Haqqani Sufi order.

              Others with scholarly influence in the United States to join Jackson and Kabbani include: Dr. Umar Faruq Abdullah, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, His Excellency Ambassador Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr. Taha Jaber Al Alwani, Dr. Mahmoud Ayoub, Sheikh Yusuf Talal Delorenzo, Sheikh Yusuf Estes, Imam Amir Al Islam, Sheikh Nuh Keller, Dr, Sulayman Nyang, Professor Abdulaziz Sachedina, Imam Zaid Shakir and Dr. Muzzamil H Siddiqui.

Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

   Out of the 500 influential Muslims, 71 were identified as being in the United States. Of the 71 in the United States not all are American citizens, but are believed to be residing in the United States.  In the coming weeks we will highlight the other notables from the other fourteen categories starting next week with those noted for their political influence.