The 2011 edition of the must-own book about the movers and shakers in the Muslim World is now available.
Which Muslims actually influence the Muslim community? If you relied on the general media for this answer you just might walk away with an understanding that the only Muslims with influence are those on the extreme fringe. Studies have shown that although they make up less than 1% of the Muslim population they dominate the nearly 95% negative coverage of Muslims in the media.
We asked ourselves if it was entirely their fault for not researching more or was there something we could do to help this situation. It's easy to sit back and blame the media but it takes quite a bit of effort to figure out what information do journalists need in order to cover the Muslim world more objectively.
We needed to come up with a book that would give everyone reporting on, or dealing with, the Muslim World about who is actually shaping this vast nation of disparate people at their fingertips.
Until 2 years ago there was no clear place to turn to in order to find answers to these questions.
Now there is.
In 2009 we launched the first edition of the 500 Most Influential Muslims. With a small team and a short amount of time we were able to publish it hoping that it would be get at least a few thousand readers. We were not expecting what followed. It was an absolutely huge success with tens of thousands of downloads.
Last year we gathered all the feedback we got, did some more research, and came out with the 2010 edition, which again was a huge success with tens of thousands of more downloads and increased media coverage.
With a year and a half under our belt we decided that we would raise the bar far higher in 2011.
2011 Edition
Although the publications have been a huge success online we still did not reach the places we want it to get to with our print edition.
We want this publication to be in every library and school in the English speaking world so that every single student will have access to it. We want it on the desk of every journalist so that they will have a reference to turn to when writing about Muslims. We want it to be in every non-profit organization that does work in the Muslim world. In short we want to spreach it's benefit to every person that may find benefit in it.
For this to happen we needed to do more with the print edition to make it more accessible, lighter, engaging, and jammed-packed with up-to-date information.
So in order to do this we set a few concrete goals for the 2011 Edition, which we are excited to have fulfilled:
•Updated Bios: We spent months going through all the bios, digging for updates where ever we could find it. As the Arab Spring and other news events unfolded we constantly updated the book to reflect changes.
•Expanded Introduction: A new introduction by S Abdullah Schleifer about the book and the Arab spring.
•New Format: We analyzed the book size and layout and came up with a new format that allows much more information in fewer pages with a 14% increase in the amount of information including, for the first time, dozens of quotes and stats, despite reducing the amount of pages by 20% and decreased the weight by roughly 25%, making it lighter on the hands.
•Beauty: Besides the format allowing for more information it also allowed for a more elegant design with a near doubling in the amount of images, including award-winning photography and calligraphy, making it both light enough to hold and a sight to behold.
•Arab Spring Box: An "Arab Spring" box was added for the top 50 that highlights each person's response to it and how it has affected their influence.
•Maps: Expanded from just a single map highlighting only Muslim majority countries to 2 maps highlighting the world's Muslim population providing new ways to look at the Muslim World.
•An Obituary section: This year we added a section for the deaths that occurred in the past year of top influential Muslims, adding to the uniqueness of each year's edition.
This year's edition is completely unlike previous years. It has taken from all the previous work and has improved it dramatically with the print edition a clear improvement from previous editions. We just printed our first sample batch and handed them out at a conference and found that many couldn't put it down once it was in their hands. We are confident that you will feel the same way.
How Much?
Although we put much effort into making the print version greater than before, we still offer off the same exact content on a FREE pdf version at http://themuslim500.com/download.php
which you can download this very minute.
However, there is still something to be said about holding a print version of the book in your hands and reading it in the comfort of your own home which is why we continue to carry both.
Pricing
Make an order this week and save $10! Each book retails for $39.95 but you can get your copy now for only $29.95, or order 5 books for your family, friends or interfaith community for just $20 each. Please email us first at info@rissc.jo to get the discount.
Wholesale options available (retailers and institutes). Email us at info@rissc.jo to make a wholesale order.
The 500 Most Influential Muslims
This publication is part of an annual series that provides a window into the movers and shakers of the Muslim world. It gives valuable insight into the different ways that Muslims impact the world, and also shows the diversity of how people are living as Muslims today.
Visit the web site dedicated to the Muslim 500 publication at www.themuslim500.com
Contact Us Form
20 Sa'ed Bino Road, Dabuq
PO BOX 950361
Amman 11195, Jordan
00 962.65.341.168
www.rissc.jo
outreach@rissc.jo
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