Muslim voices on the 2026 TIME 100: From a New York mayor to an Iranian auteur
Muslims from various backgrounds have featured prominently on TIME's annual list of the world's most influential people
NEW YORK (MNTV) – When TIME magazine unveiled its 23rd annual TIME100 on April 15, 2026, the roster reflected a year defined by political upheaval, cultural shifts, and a rebalancing of global power.
Among the leaders, artists, innovators, and advocates recognized, several Muslim figures stood out — spanning four continents and a remarkable range of fields.
Perhaps the most talked-about inclusion was Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist who became the second-youngest mayor in New York City’s history.
The Ugandan-born politician of Indian Gujarati descent vaulted from single-digit polling to a decisive victory over Andrew Cuomo on a platform promising rent freezes, free buses, and universal childcare.
TIME noted that his win gave the Democratic Party “a new source of momentum” at a time when the party has struggled to confront President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
Mamdani, an openly practicing Muslim, is now navigating a city facing multi-billion-dollar budget shortfalls while serving as a test case for progressive governance nationally.
Across the Atlantic, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was recognized in the Artists category for his opposition to the Islamic Republic’s censorship policies.
His latest film, It Was Just an Accident — shot clandestinely in Iran — earned the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and two Academy Award nominations.
The Iranian government responded with a one-year prison sentence in absentia.
Panahi, a Shia Muslim from an Iranian Azerbaijani family, has spent decades turning state restrictions into cinematic resistance.
From Bangladesh came Tarique Rahman, the new Prime Minister who ended 17 years of exile in London to lead his Bangladesh Nationalist Party to a landslide electoral victory in February.
Rahman, son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, took power following the 2024 ouster of Sheikh Hasina and has publicly committed to governing guided by “the Prophet’s ideal of justice” while protecting the rights of Bangladesh’s Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian minorities.
The list also honored Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate — the first Muslim woman ever to receive that honor.
Now based in London, Ebadi was recently named by Iranian opposition figures to lead a committee drafting transitional justice frameworks for a potential post-regime Iran.
Her inclusion came amid the ongoing 2025–2026 Iranian protests and the fallout from the February war that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Lesser known but significant figures
Two lesser-known but equally significant figures rounded out the Muslim representation.
Zabib Musa Loro, a South Sudanese women’s rights activist and founder of Women for Justice and Equality, was recognized for her grassroots work on gender equity and peacebuilding in one of the world’s most fragile states.
She previously led the Islamic Development and Relief Agency and has been instrumental in bridging faith-based humanitarian work with international aid.
Mamadou Amadou Ly, the Senegalese executive director of Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED), was honored for pioneering bilingual education models that teach children in their mother tongues alongside French — an approach now shaping national education policy in Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia.
Ly won the 2025 Yidan Prize, the world’s highest education award, becoming the first West African to do so.
Also featured was Fatih Birol, the Turkish economist who has led the International Energy Agency since 2015 and is credited with transforming it into a central hub for the global energy transition.
Star-studded list against a turbulent backdrop
This year’s TIME100 featured four worldwide covers — actor Zoe Saldaña, comedian Nikki Glaser, actor Wagner Moura, and singer-songwriter Luke Combs.
In his letter to readers, TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs acknowledged that the list was shaped by a world still very much in “Trump’s world,” with the Iran war approaching its 40th day of fighting at the time of publication.
Political heavyweights on the list included President Donald Trump, Pope Leo XVII, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.
Four members of the Trump administration made the cut, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
In business and technology, the list honored Google CEO Sundar Pichai, YouTube chief Neal Mohan, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Anthropic co-founders Dario and Daniela Amodei, Michael and Susan Dell, YouTuber MrBeast, and Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote.
The entertainment category was heavy on Hollywood names — Ben Stiller, Benicio Del Toro, Ethan Hawke, Kate Hudson, Dakota Johnson, Jonathan Groff, Sterling K. Brown, and Indian superstar Ranbir Kapoor, alongside Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna.
Sports and science were represented by Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, figure skater Alysa Liu, hockey star Hilary Knight, Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, and gene-therapy pioneers Kiran Musunuru and Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas.
Among advocates, labor icon Dolores Huerta — who first appeared in TIME 57 years ago — returned to the pages.
The TIME100 Summit and Gala are scheduled for April 22 and 23 in New York City, with Nikki Glaser hosting and Luke Combs performing.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
