They share the top ranking with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The annual publication, The Muslim 500: The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims, is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.

According to the publication, this is the first time that multiple individuals have jointly occupied the top position. It attributed the decision to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

The publication described the joint ranking as a reflection of growing cooperation among Muslim countries in security and defence.

It said the agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, and activated during an emergency summit in Riyadh, brought together Saudi Arabia’s economic resources, Türkiye’s technology and manufacturing capabilities, and Pakistan’s military strength.

The report described the pact as a collective defence arrangement based on the principle that an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all.

Other prominent figures on the list

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is ranked fourth, followed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II in fifth place.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is ranked sixth, while Pakistani religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani occupies seventh position.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is placed 12th, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ranks 22nd.

Another Pakistani religious scholar, Maulana Tariq Jameel, is ranked 32nd.

Footballer Mohamed Salah occupies 39th position, followed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at 45th. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is ranked 49th.

Pakistan’s economic and diplomatic challenges

The publication also highlighted Pakistan’s economic and diplomatic challenges over the past year.

It noted that the country had navigated efforts to stabilise its economy, regional security pressures and the challenge of maintaining diplomatic relations with major global powers.