Top 5 Islamic Scholars In The World 2023

In the modern era (from the 20th to the 21st century), Islamic scholars refer to religious authorities whose writings or statements are widely accepted as authoritative by their respective communities and followers. Geographical categories have been established based on shared cultural traits across the Islamic world.

Islamic scholarship boasts a centuries-old tradition, with numerous renowned scholars enriching our understanding of Islamic thought. In this article, RNN introduces the top 5 Islamic scholars in the world today. These scholars cover a broad range of expertise within the Islamic world, and their contributions continue to influence global Islamic thought and practice. Their easily accessible teachings make them valuable resources for both Muslims and lovers of Islam seeking a deeper insight into Islam.

5. Yusuf Estes

Yusuf Estes, an American Islamic preacher from Texas, ranks fifth among Islamic scholars globally. He converted to Islam in 1991 and served as a Muslim chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons during the 1990s. He was a delegate at the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders in September 2000. Estes has been a guest presenter and keynote speaker at various Islamic events. He was honored as the Islamic Personality of the Year at the Dubai International Holy Quran Award ceremony in August 2012.

Estes founded Guide US TV, an Internet and satellite TV channel that broadcasts Islamic programs. In 2010, he was recognized as one of the top 500 most influential Muslims. However, in November 2017, Singapore denied him entry due to his expressed views, which were deemed incompatible with the country’s values of social harmony in its multiracial and multi-religious society.

4. Khalid Yasin

Khalid Yasin born in 1946, is an American Islamic preacher residing in Manchester, England. He travels worldwide to spread his faith, referring to himself as a “media bedouin.” He converted to Islam in 1965 and led the Jammat Ita’hadul Iqwa on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

Yasin has faced accusations of promoting radical Islam, with Channel Nine in Australia describing him as a charismatic preacher with controversial views. In contrast, the Oman Tribune views him as a knowledgeable scholar debunking misconceptions about Islam.

In his leisure time, Yasin enjoys horseback riding, swimming, boxing, and reading. He also visits Mecca every two years for spiritual cleansing through Umrah or Hajj and prays five times daily, finding solace in these prayers.

Yasin has operated various dawah organizations, including the Islamic Broadcasting Corporation Ltd., which dissolved in 2010.

3. Ismail ibn Musa Menk

Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk, a Zimbabwean Islamic scholar of Indian descent, serves as the Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe’s Muslim community, comprising about 1% of the country’s population. He also leads the fatwa department for the Council of Islamic Scholars of Zimbabwe. Recognized as one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims globally in 2013, 2014, and 2017 by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan, Mufti Menk visited Trinidad and Tobago in September 2023 as a renowned international motivational speaker. MP Saddam Hosein expressed his honor at hosting this distinguished advocate of peace and understanding.

Ismail was born on June 27, 1975, in Salisbury to Gujarati Indian parents from the Bharuchi Vohra Patel community, Mufti Menk is proficient in Gujarati and Urdu, a result of his family’s Indian heritage. He initially studied the Quran and Arabic with his father, Maulana Musa Ibrahim Menk.

2. Nouman Ali Khan

Nouman Ali Khan, a Pakistani-American Islamic speaker and Arabic instructor, is the second-ranked Islamic scholar in the world. He founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies after teaching Arabic at Nassau Community College.

Ali was born on May 4, 1978, in Germany to a Pakistani family, Khan spent his early years in East Berlin. Later, his family moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he attended the Pakistan Embassy school from grades 2 to 8. In his teens, his family relocated to New York. He has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims worldwide by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

1. Bilal Philips

The top Islamic scholar globally is Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips. He was born as Dennis Bradley Philips on July 17, 1947, in Kingston, Jamaica. He’s now a Canadian Islamic teacher, speaker, author, and founder of the International Open University, residing in Qatar. In 2001, Philips established the Islamic Online University in Qatar.

Philips authored, translated, and commented on more than 50 Islamic books. He has also appeared or presented on various national and satellite television channels, such as Saudi TV, Sharjah TV, Ajman TV, Islam Channel, Huda TV, and Peace TV.

Philips was born to high school teachers Bradley Philips and Joyce McDermott in Kingston, Jamaica. He grew up in a Christian household, with his mother following the Anglican faith and his father practicing Presbyterianism.

For ten years, Philips taught Islamic studies at Manarat al-Riyadh School in Riyadh. He also served as an Arabic and Islamic studies teacher at the American University of Dubai for a decade. Additionally, he lectures at Ajman University in the United Arab Emirates. In 2002, Philips established an Islamic Studies department at Preston University in Ajman and later founded the Islamic Studies Academy in Qatar in 2007.

During the First Gulf War, Philips organized Islamic religious revival meetings for U.S. troops stationed in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, resulting in over three thousand soldiers reportedly converting to Islam. Some of these military personnel later became volunteer trainers in the 1992-95 Bosnian War, according to counter-extremism author J.M. Berger. Philips also founded and taught at the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, affiliated with the Dar al Ber Society, and served as an Islamic consultant and lecturer for the Islamic Information wing of Sheikh Eid Charity in Qatar.

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