Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir share top spot in Muslim 500’s first five-way tie

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have jointly taken first place in the 2027 edition of The Muslim 500, according to media reports. They share the position with three other leaders in the annual ranking of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims.

The result marks the first time Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership have together reached the top of the list. It is also the first five-way tie for first place in the ranking’s 18-year history.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are the other leaders sharing the highest position. Together with Sharif and Munir, they make up the five figures jointly ranked first in the 2027 edition.

The annual list is published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), a research institution based in Jordan. Its latest edition links the influence of the Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish leaders to expanding cooperation among their countries in defence and strategic affairs.

That growing regional cooperation forms the context for the ranking’s recognition of the leaders as the most influential figures in the Muslim world. Alongside the political and military leaders at the top, Pakistani religious scholar Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani is placed seventh in the list.