Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad has been chosen as Muslim Man of the Year by The Muslim 500, a ranking of the world's 500 most-influential Muslims.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the 2019 edition of the publication lauded Mahathir for leading Pakatan Harapn to victory in Malaysia's 14th general election; before being elected as prime minister for the second time, reports the New Straits Times.
Despite being named Muslim Man of the Year, Mahathir ranked 44th among 500 Muslim luminaries in his first ever appearance in the publication.
He was described as an extraordinary man with a dynamic political career and a vision to confront problems pertaining to Malaysian governance and the economy.
Also on the list are King Abdullah II of Jordan, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Meanwhile, for the most influential Muslim women, the Woman of the Year Muslim title, was given to Ahed Tamimi, 17, a Palestinian teenager known for her courage in slapping Israeli troops in December 2017.
The 500 Most Influential Muslims is an annual publication published in 2009, which recognizes the most influential Muslim individuals in the world.
It is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre based in Amman, Jordan.
