Could future leaders of the Muslim world be film actors and athletes?
Opinion: By Mujahid Chowdhury | Follow me on X
The organisation of Islamic Cooperation currently has 57 member states In addition to 5 observer states. On their website the organisation mentions that “It endeavours to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world”. The organisation was established in 1969 following the “criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem” as stated on their website.
Following the recent genocide in Gaza the secretary-general of the OIC said that he “strongly condemns the continued and escalating Israeli military aggression against the Gaza Strip”. He also called upon the international community to intervene. If the outcome of this organisation following the killing of over 13,000 children and over 8,000 women in Gaza is a simple condemnation and shift of responsibility to the international community then unfortunately it has failed to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslims world, a noble intention upon which the organisation was founded. As useless as this organisation as well as others like the UN appear to be in the current situation they may possibly serve the interests of the Ummah in the coming years as the world steers into a new phase of global order.
In recent history the entertainment industry has successfully produced, and continues to produce, multiple heads of states, governors, prime ministers, presidents and high ranking politicians.
Some notables from the western world include:
Ronald Reagan, an actor who by the end of 1939 appeared in 19 films. He served as the 40th President of the United States of America from 1981 to 1989.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, an actor and bodybuilder who's famous films include “The Terminator”, “Total Recall”, “Predator” and “Commando”. He served as the Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
Glenda Jackson, an actress who became a member of the UK parliament in 1992. She had numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award.
Clint Eastwood, an actor and film director who's highest ranking film was the spaghetti western “The good, the bad and the ugly”. He won election as the non-partisan mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California in April 1986 and in 2001.
A picture of President Ronald Reagan and Clint Eastwood.
Some notables from the Muslim world include:
Imran Khan, is a former cricket star who lead Pakistan to a world cup win in 1992. He served as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is a former professional footballer who won five titles in his footballing career. He is the 12th and current president of Türkiye.
Najib Razak served as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018. In June 2022 he announced that he would be an actor in a Malaysian drama series narrating the life of Tun Razak, the second prime minister of Malaysia.
Shakib Al-Hasan, is a former captain of Bangladesh's national cricket team and considered by many as the best athlete the country has ever produced. He recently won elections in the Magura district of Bangladesh and became a member of the Bangladeshi parliament.
A picture of Imran Khan and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
It appears that the entertainment industry has the ability to kick-start political careers in the east and west. But why is this the case? Why do famous actors and athletes win elections? Why do the masses support them?
Successful actors and athletes from the entertainment industry are already recognised by a large fan-base. Because of this they are already popular and admired by their fans even before announcing their entry into the political arena. Successful actors and athletes who go into politics are usually trusted by their fan-base especially if they show support for charitable causes close to the hearts of their fans. This often translates into votes. They are seen as having natural leadership skills and can be good communicators with the ability to speak publicly on stage with confidence and charisma. In many countries around the world one may find young people particularly disconnected from politics and political leaders. They often feel unrepresented and misunderstood by politicians. Actors and athletes can bring a fresh new perspective to parliaments with young people in particular appearing to be vocal supporters of such candidates.
If Engin Altan Düzyatan the Turkish actor who played the leading role in the world famous drama series Resurrection Ertuğrul stood for elections in Türkiye it is our belief that he would be highly successful. If he held a Pakistani passport and had the right to stand as a candidate there he would probably become the next prime minister of Pakistan due to the popularity of the series in that country.
We believe that the OIC of the near future will have around it's table famous Muslim actors and athletes. Directing such individuals and nurturing them throughout their careers in the entertainment industry and then later in politics would have huge benefits for the Ummah.
At Islamic Ancestry we will be launching multiple docu-drama series' with the support of the Muslim world. Each series will appeal to a specific Muslim ethnic group or nation state. By the end of each three season drama-series new heroes with immense levels of fame and the power to influence will arise. During their time with Islamic Ancestry and after their entries into the political arena we plan to educate and guide these influencers by surrounding them with scholars, researchers and specialists and by investing our resources into their development and potential hoping that they will collectively grow into a powerful force that can truly “safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world”.
The future leaders of this Ummah may well be Muslim actors and athletes.