– Why MBS was rated below Yusuf Qaradawi
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been named the 2018 Global Muslim Personality by Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper, Muslim News Nigeria.
The announcement of the award was made at exactly 8pm of Saturday, December 22, 2018, after days of expectation from supporters who were anxious to know the top five finalists for the prestigious recognitions.

The other four finalists are Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar (2nd); Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia (3rd); Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, renowned Islamic scholar (4th) and Muhammed Bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (5th).
Most pundits had earlier speculated that Recep Tayib Erdogan would be the winner of the awards, after Muslim News released the shadow images of its top five global Muslim personalities on Thursday, December 20.
The publisher of Muslim News Nigeria, Rasheed Abubakar said the choice of Erdogan as the winner of the Global Muslim Personality Award is undisputable going by the influence and power he wields – both within the Muslim world and in the international community. He also has a large number of supporters among Nigerian Muslims.
Abubakar said Erdogan, who has been Turkish President since 2014, is famously referred to as the Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (the Leader of the Believers) for his consistent advocacy for the voiceless and defenseless Muslims all over the world, despite the campaign of calumny by distractors in the global media.
He said: “Of recent, while the stupendously rich Gulf Arab nations (including Saudi Arabia) and the entire Muslim world either kept criminally silent or remained complicit, it was Erdogan who took the initiative and accused Israel of ‘wilful murder’ of Palestinians.
“This same man has on several occasions called on the Muslim world to protect the Rohingya and Uighur Muslims against the government of their countries in Myanmar and China. He didn’t just talk or shout to cover-up, he walked the talk by providing humanitarian assistance for millions of oppressed Muslims”, he said.
Controversies
There were mixed reactions over the choice of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi and Muhammad Bin Salman from netizens, particularly the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and members of the Salafiyyah-Wahabi sect.
While the latter argued that the respected Sheikh did not deserve the recognition due to what they termed heresies in his books, MB supporters were not pleased with the choice of the Saudi Crown prince, who came fifth – immediately after Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, one of the prominent Islamic scholars of modern times.
Ibrahim Adejare, one of the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Nigeria said: “Putting Sheikh Al-Qaradawi beside MBS, to me, is an embarrassment. It even diminishes the reverence attached to the award.”
In his reaction, Abubakar said though Bin Salman was rated next to Sheikh Qaradawi, the Saudi Crown Prince came a distant fifth with a wide margin, going by the standard criteria used to determine the winners.
“We didn’t expect them to agree with our choice of finalists. Besides, it was not based on voting, where anyone can emerge as winner. We’ve set a standard, which includes their power, popularity and influence on the Muslim world.
“Sheikh Qaradawi is no doubt a reformer who brought illumination and relief to the spiritual and moral darkness of the modern world. Yet, we cannot deny Muhammed Bin Salman, popularly called MBS. He is one of the youngest, most powerful and influential leaders in today’s world.
“Within 7 months of his appointment as the Crown Prince in June 2017, he has changed the face of Saudi Arabia, while his reform programmes towards achieving the Saudi Vision 2030 has shaken the Middle East and kept the Muslim world talking about the future of Islam in Saudi Arabia, the rulers of which are the honorary Custodians of the Two Holy Mosques.”
Abubakar said it could have been great if the finalists can work together in the interest of the Ummah.
“These are the five most influential personalities in the Muslim world. If they put aside their political differences and work together for the Ummah alongside leaders of other Muslim countries, the oppressed Muslims across the world will be liberated from the shackles and oppression of their enemies.
“By this recognition, we are trying to celebrate our own, which is in line with the vision and mission of Muslim News. Also, we want them to do more for the oppressed Muslims, particularly the Palestinians and the Rohingya. We are also saying to them that the responsibility of rescuing the incarcerated Uighur Muslims in China and elsewhere is a must. We hope they will heed our advice”, he said.
Muslim News Personalities recognition

The Muslim personalities recognition, the first of its kind in Nigeria, is an initiative of RawshieldPR Media. Apart from the category for the world Muslim leaders, there are two other categories for Nigerian Muslim personalities and Muslim Heroines of the year 2018, the winners of which will be announced on December 27 and 30 respectively.
Muslim News, with 24/7 online and bi-monthly print versions is a mouthpiece for underreported Muslim achievers and events in Nigeria and across the world, which are never given prominence in the mainstream media.
Its mission includes, as stated on its website https://muslimnews.com.ng, giving special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain mainstream media attention, and changing the media narrative of blaming Islam and Muslims for offences committed in its lofty name.
I am so pleased with this selection and my prayer is that the appointed personalities see this award and recognize it and work together as team to liberate the ummah from the same shakkle of oppression