Batir Wardam Blog: The Most Influential 100 Arabs...Are they?

Arabian Business magazine has published its list of the so-called most powerful 100 Arabs. I do not know what are the criteria they use for "evaluating power" but I can guess it is all about impact on peoples' choices and decisions in the Arab World and abroad. If this is true this list misses the three most influential Arab characters, and this is really amazing. I have sent a comment with my feedback to the magazine website but someone decided it was not to be published, maybe I was not too powerful to convince them with my opinion!

However I think the three most important and influentials Arabs are:

1- Mr Osama Bin Laden who has changed the history and future courses of the Arab and Islamic world in the past 10 years. No living Arab has made such a disasterous influence on the lives of millions of Arabs, muslims and non-muslims all over the world. Indeed his impact has mainly affected the 6.0 billion population of the world. He should be setting proudly with his gun and horse at the top of the list.

2- Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi: the master of all Islamic fatwas. The words coming from his mouth dictate the convictions and behaviours of millions of muslims without even asking why. His verbal power is stronger than Prince Walid's money power.

3- Amre Khalid: no person in the Arab and muslim world has contributed more to bringing muslim youth to a state of nostalgia and addiction like he did. He simply says that we are not good enough and to live our life like true muslims we should draw lessons dated 1400 years ago from people who supposidly do not commit any sin (Sahabah).

Let me be clear here, no Arabs have any more influnce than the previous three.

The next factor of influence, after religion is capitalism. This is why Prince Walid and more than 30 rich boys and girls are in the top 100. They do make influence and their presence is highly justified.

The third factor of influence are the pop stars and it is true that entertainers like Nancy, Haifa and Amre Diab are there.

However, there are people who sould never be in the list of 100 powerful people. Take for example Dr Ahmad Zuweil the Noble Prize winner. He might be a well respected person in the USA and maybe the most intelligent Arab alive but his influence in the Arab sphere is minimal. If Zuweil decides to give a lecture in Amman he will attract mo more than 200 people. If he decides to get a job in any Arab University he will be fought by all his colleagues and the University administration.

And what about Adonis? At no 26? give me a break. How many Arabs do read poetry to begin with let alone deciphering his complex writings? Hani Abu Assad at number 4? If we draw a vote only 5% will have ever heared of him.

Lina complained that only two Jordanians make the list: Rima Khalaf and Fadi Ghandour. Actually they should be three. Wadah Khanfar, the executive of Al Jazeera at no 3 is a Jordanian citizen as much as you and me, to the best of my knowledge. Back in 1989 he was the leader of the "Students' Unity Initiative" which led to the establishment of Student Council in the University of Jordan after an agreement was struck between the Isalmic Brotherhood and the government to stop the demand of the 'General Student Union" and replace it with "Student Councils" which were dominated by the Islamists until the one vote system and the half-election allowed the "Izar3 and Igla3 Bathinjan" people to win the elections! However, Khanfar should be a Jordanian citizen but it is obvious that he preferrs to use the description "Palestinian" when referred to.

I see that this list of 100 powerful Arabs should be divided as follows:

1- 30 of the Al Qaeda leaders and religious scholars on the Arab satellites.

2- 30 businesmen and women.

3- 20 pop singers and dancers.

4- 20 heads of intelliegence forces.

It is a sad joke to include writers, poets, scientists and researchers in this list.