REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was grateful when he learned that his name was included in the list of the most influential Muslim figures in the world in 2019 to receive an award. When confirmed by journalists after visiting Bugen al-Itqon Islamic Boarding School in Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday, Jokowi stated that the award was for all Indonesian people.

"Alhamdulillah, I think this is an award for all of us, as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world," Jokowi noted in a written statement delivered by Bey Machmudin, the Presidential Secretariat Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media.

Jokowi is indeed listed as being included in the "Top 50" list again as it was in the previous year. However, the head of state remarked that he would remain focused on working.

"I will continue to work as usual," he added.

The list of the world's most influential Muslim leaders in 2019 was issued by the Center for Islamic Strategy Studies, an independent research institution, located in Amman, Jordan. There are around 1.9 billion Muslims in the world to this day or 24.7 percent of the world's population, or almost touching a quarter of the number of people.

Jokowi was in the 16th position, while Said Aqil Siradj was in the 20th position.

The figures published were assessed by study centers, including religious academics who directly handle Muslims, influence their beliefs and government officials in the world, and who regulate social and economic factors in each country, as well as artists who make popular culture.

There are 13 categories of individual Muslims included in the list, namely academics in the field of religion, politicians, officials of religious affairs, clerics and religious advisers, activists in philanthropic / charitable and development sectors, social issues, business, science and technology, arts, culture, sports stars and celebrities, as well as extremists.

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