Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Photo courtesy of the press service of the President of Uzbekistan
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has entered the top 40 of the annual ranking of the world's most influential Muslims, The Muslim 500 — 2027. The list is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, headquartered in Amman, Jordan.
The authors of the ranking commended the «New Uzbekistan» reform program being implemented across the Central Asian nation. They highlighted that under Mirziyoyev's leadership, the country has liberalized its economy, fostered favorable conditions for foreign investors, and expanded international trade. The eradication of forced labor in the cotton sector was cited as a major achievement.
In addition, the compilers of The Muslim 500 noted that the Uzbek leader has significantly enhanced relations with regional neighbors, while a more open foreign policy has allowed the republic to play an increasingly prominent global role as a diplomatic and economic partner.
The report underscores Mirziyoyev's profound focus on Islamic historical heritage. With government backing, mosques are being constructed and restored, opportunities for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages are expanding, sacred sites are being preserved, and theological education is actively advancing. The establishment of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent received special commendation.
While Mirziyoyev ranks 40th in the 2027 edition (published late in the current year and dated to the upcoming year, according to Fergana), he was previously featured outside the top 50 (specific rankings are assigned solely to the top 50, with the remaining 450 individuals listed without designated ranks).
Several other figures from Central Asian nations appear in The Muslim 500 — 2027. Kazakhstan is represented by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and singer Dimash Kudaibergen, while Tajikistan is represented by Grand Mufti Saidmukarram Abdulkodirzoda. No citizens of Kyrgyzstan or Turkmenistan are included on the list. However, several Afghan figures are featured, including Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
The top spot this year is shared by five prominent leaders: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Overall, the publication encompasses theologians, politicians, business leaders, journalists, academics, cultural figures, and athletes. Among sports personalities featured are footballers Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), France's Zinedine Zidane and Ousmane Dembele, Spain's sole representative Lamine Yamal, and retired Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Muslim 500 has been published annually since 2009. Its authors assess an individual's capacity to exert influence over the Muslim world or its adherents as the primary criterion. Such influence may be viewed as either positive or negative, and inclusion does not denote an endorsement of an individual's personal views.
Jordan's Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre stresses that while the ranking is globally recognized and widely cited as an annual reference work on notable figures of the Islamic world, its authority reflects publicistic and expert appraisal rather than an official or strictly academic classification.
