Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Bilkis Bano listed among world's 500 most influential Muslims

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been listed among 10 "most influential" in the political category by the RISSC—Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre based in Jordan. Its the seventh consecutive time that Mirwaiz has been chosen among the 500 most influential Muslim personalities.

82-year-old Indian anti-CAA activist Bilkis Bano has been named as the 'Woman of the Year' by RISSC. The survey described Ms Bilkis as the one who mobilised and inspired thousands to stand up by starting a Gandhian-style sit-in on a road in her locality and brought the world's attention to the 'latest signpost' in India's slide into Hindutva 'majoritarianism'.

Whereas RISSC has described Mirwaiz as "an advocate of dialogue between India and Pakistan so that the aspirations of the Kashmiri people may be realised". The leader continues to be under house arrest for more than 18 months now.

Personalities including King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and King Abdullah of Jordan also top the list.

The RISSC, an independent research body affiliated to the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought is an independent institute headquartered in Jordan's capital Amman. It ranks individuals based on the significance of their influence of power, be it political, financial or ideological in contributions to the Muslim world.