The American magazine Foreign Policy and the British magazine Prospect had a poll to compile a list of the world’s top 100 public intellectuals – “They are some of the world’s most introspective philosophers and rabble-rousing clerics. A few write searing works of fiction and uncover the mysteries of the human mind. Others are at the forefront of modern finance, politics, and human rights.”
I skimmed the list looking for the Arab names. They were – not surprisingly – only four – if you consider Ayaan Hirsi Ali to be Arab because she’s from Somalia, although when you read her book you kind of wonder why Somalia ever joined the Arab league. But I digress. There’s also Tareq Ramadan, the grandson of Hassan Al-Banna, but I think he classifies as a European Muslim, not an Arab.
So you have Amr Khaled, Sari Nusseibeh, and Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.
Don’t you think it’s interesting that, with the exception of Sari Nusseibeh, they all have to do with religion? A couple of months ago I was invited to a session where some NGO was trying to map out youth work in Jordan, especially youth groups that are youth-led and not necessarily under some organization’s umbrella. There was a significant number of groups that had some focus or other on religion. Out of those, three were inspired by Amr Khaled or part of his network of youth action.
Anyways, here’s what was written on the FP list:
Amr Khaled, Egypt
Muslim televangelist
An entrepreneurial preacher and broadcaster, Khaled is an accountant by training but a born evangelical leader. The moderate Khaled, who preaches a message of tolerance and personal redemption through Islam, is wildly popular among younger Muslims in the Arab world.
Sari Nusseibeh, Palestine
Diplomat, philosopher
Nusseibeh is professor of philosophy and president of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem. A leading Palestinian moderate, Nusseibeh worked with former Israeli Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon in 2002 and 2003 to develop “The People’s Voice” peace initiative.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Egypt/Qatar
Cleric
Perhaps the most influential preacher in Sunni Islam, Qaradawi hosts the weekly show Sharia and Life on the Al Jazeera satellite channel.
Tariq Ramadan, Switzerland
Philosopher, scholar of Islam
Born in Switzerland, Ramadan is a prominent advocate for a “European” version of Islam. A grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, he was interviewed in the November/December 2004 issue of FP. His most recent book is In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad.
What do you think?? Is there someone else you would vote for to be on that list?
This question was posed for discussion on Post Global… so you can read what people thought of the whole list there.
I skimmed the list looking for the Arab names. They were – not surprisingly – only four – if you consider Ayaan Hirsi Ali to be Arab because she’s from Somalia, although when you read her book you kind of wonder why Somalia ever joined the Arab league. But I digress. There’s also Tareq Ramadan, the grandson of Hassan Al-Banna, but I think he classifies as a European Muslim, not an Arab.
So you have Amr Khaled, Sari Nusseibeh, and Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.
Don’t you think it’s interesting that, with the exception of Sari Nusseibeh, they all have to do with religion? A couple of months ago I was invited to a session where some NGO was trying to map out youth work in Jordan, especially youth groups that are youth-led and not necessarily under some organization’s umbrella. There was a significant number of groups that had some focus or other on religion. Out of those, three were inspired by Amr Khaled or part of his network of youth action.
Anyways, here’s what was written on the FP list:
Amr Khaled, Egypt
Muslim televangelist
An entrepreneurial preacher and broadcaster, Khaled is an accountant by training but a born evangelical leader. The moderate Khaled, who preaches a message of tolerance and personal redemption through Islam, is wildly popular among younger Muslims in the Arab world.
Sari Nusseibeh, Palestine
Diplomat, philosopher
Nusseibeh is professor of philosophy and president of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem. A leading Palestinian moderate, Nusseibeh worked with former Israeli Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon in 2002 and 2003 to develop “The People’s Voice” peace initiative.
Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Egypt/Qatar
Cleric
Perhaps the most influential preacher in Sunni Islam, Qaradawi hosts the weekly show Sharia and Life on the Al Jazeera satellite channel.
Tariq Ramadan, Switzerland
Philosopher, scholar of Islam
Born in Switzerland, Ramadan is a prominent advocate for a “European” version of Islam. A grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, he was interviewed in the November/December 2004 issue of FP. His most recent book is In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad.
What do you think?? Is there someone else you would vote for to be on that list?
This question was posed for discussion on Post Global… so you can read what people thought of the whole list there.
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