50 Muslim Celebrities Who Are Changing the World

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billion followers worldwide. Scholars often date Islam’s founding to the 7th century, making it the youngest of the world’s major religions. Today, the faith is rapidly spreading  throughout the world. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Experts predict Islam will overtake Christianity as the largest religion by the end of the century. 

Key Takeaways

• Muslim celebrities come from all around the world and work in a variety of fields.
• Muhammad Ali, Zayn Malik, and Ibtihaj Muhammad are examples of well-known Muslim celebrities.
• Numerous Muslim celebrities have spoken out against Islamophobia and advocated for tolerance.
• Muslim celebrities are outspoken about their faith and how it has enriched their life.
• Muslim women are breaking down barriers in Hollywood, taking home major accolades.
• Muslim athletes thrive in a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, and boxing.
• Many Muslim celebrities use philanthropy to give back to their communities.
• Muslim celebrities experience persecution, yet their fortitude inspires others.
• They act as role models for young Muslims, demonstrating that perseverance pays off.
• Muslim celebrities advocate for universal peace, equality, and justice.

1. Aamir Khan

Name	Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan
Date of birth	March 14, 1965
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Actor, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Talk Show Host
Gender	Male

Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan was born in Bombay, Maharashtra, India on March 14, 1965. He is an Indian actor, film director and producer. Khan has made a name for himself as one of the most renowned performers in Indian film over the course of a career spanning more than 30 years. 

Khan has received various honors, including nine Filmfare Awards, four National Film Awards, an AACTA Award, and a nomination for an Academy Award for one of his motion pictures. In 2003 and 2010, the Indian government awarded him the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, respectively. In 2017, the Chinese government bestowed an honorary title upon him.

2. Dr. Oz

Name	Mehmet Cengiz Öz
Date of birth	June 11, 1960
Nationality	Turkish, American
Occupation	Television presenter, Physician, Author, Educator
Gender	Male

Mehmet Cengiz Öz was born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 11, 1960. He is a Turkish American former professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, television presenter, author, and former political candidate.The son of Turkish immigrants, Oz was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. 

A dual citizen of the U.S. and Turkey, Oz served in the Turkish Army during the 1980s for 60 days of mandatory training, specifically for citizens who reside in foreign countries, to maintain his Turkish citizenship. He subsequently began his residency in surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in 1986. In 2001, he became a professor of surgery at Columbia University, and later retired to professor emeritus in 2018. In 2003, Oprah Winfrey was the first guest on the Discovery Channel series Second Opinion with Dr. Oz, and he was a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, making more than sixty appearances.

3. Zayn Malik 

Name	Zain Javadd Malik
Date of birth	January 12, 1993
Nationality	English
Occupation	Singer
Gender	Male

Zain Javadd Malik was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England on January 12th, 1993. He is an English pop and R&B singer. In 2010, Zayn made a solo audition for the British music competition television program The X Factor. He was brought back into the competition after being eliminated to help form the five-member boy band One Direction, which went on to become one of the most successful boy bands of all time.

In March 2015, he announced his departure from the band and inked a deal with RCA Records for a solo album. His subsequent joint singles “Dusk Till Dawn” with Sia and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” with Taylor Swift were commercial successes around the world. He released his third album, Nobody Is Listening, in 2021 after releasing his second studio album, Icarus Falls, in 2018.

Zayn has won numerous honors, including an MTV Video Music Award and an American Music Award. As a member of One Direction in 2013 and as a solo performer in 2017, he is the only artist to have won the Billboard Music Award for New Artist of the Year twice.

4. Mike Tyson

Name	Michael Gerard Tyson
Date of birth	June 30, 1966
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional boxer
Gender	Male

Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Brooklyn, New York on June 30, 1966. He is an American former professional boxer. Tyson is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Tyson was given the nicknames “Iron Mike” and “Kid Dynamite” in his early career before becoming known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet” later. 

From 1987 to 1990, he held the undisputed heavyweight title. 12 of Tyson’s first 19 professional victories by knockout came in the opening frame. Tyson holds the record for being the earliest boxer to ever win a heavyweight title, taking home his first trophy at the age of 20 years, four months, and 22 days. The only heavyweight to successfully unify the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in succession, he was the first heavyweight boxer to do so.

5. Muhammad Ali

Name	Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr
Date of birth	January 17, 1942
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional boxer and activist
Gender	Male

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 3, 2016. He is an American professional boxer and activist. He is known as “The Best” and is usually cited as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. He is recognized as one of the most important sports figures of the 20th century. He received the Sportsman of the Century award from Sports Illustrated and the BBC in 1999, respectively.

At the age of twelve, he started amateur boxing training. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he won the gold medal in the light heavyweight class at the age of 18, and later that year, he went professional. He converted to Islam in 1961.

6. K’naan 

Name	Keinan Abdi Warsame
Date of birth	February 1, 1978
American	Somali-Canadian
Occupation	Musician
Gender	Male

Keinan Abdi Warsame was born in New York City on February 1, 1978. He is a Somali-Canadian musician. 

He gained notoriety when Coca-Cola selected his song “Wavin’ Flag” as its advertising anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In addition to hip hop, K’naan’s music incorporates aspects of global music and Somali music. Additionally, he participates in several charitable endeavors.

He gained notoriety when Coca-Cola selected his song “Wavin’ Flag” as its advertising anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In addition to hip hop, K’naan’s music incorporates aspects of global music and Somali music. Additionally, he participates in several charitable endeavors.

7. Bella Hadid

Name	Isabella Khairiah Hadid
Date of birth	October 9, 1996
Nationality	American
Occupation	Model
Gender	Female

Isabella Khairiah Hadid was born in Washington, D.C. on October 9, 1996. She is an American model. She received the “Model of the Year” award from industry insiders for Models.com in 2016. Hadid has made 27 appearances on worldwide Vogue magazine covers in the last four years.

Hadid was raised in Santa Barbara, California, and she started modeling at the age of 16. She made her New York Fashion Week debut the month after joining IMG Models in August 2014. By appearing in five foreign editions of Vogue in 2017, Hadid beat Doutzen Kroes’ record for the most September covers in a calendar year (China, Spain, Brazil, Australia, and Arabia).

8. Ramy Youssef

Name	Ramy Youssef
Date of birth	March 26, 1991
Nationality	American
Occupation	Stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and director
Gender	Male

Ramy Youssef was born in New York City on March 26, 1991. He is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and director. He was raised in a Muslim family, observed Islamic festivals, and has since kept up his practice of the faith. Youssef was raised in the New Jersey town of Rutherford, where he attended Rutherford High School. Later, he enrolled in Rutgers University, Newark, where he pursued studies in political science and economics, but he left before receiving his degree to enroll at William Esper Studio to concentrate on acting.

His most famous role was that of Ramy Hassan in the Hulu comedy series Ramy, for which he received nominations for the 2020 Peabody Award and the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. In addition, he was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys.

9. Asghar Farhadi

Name	Asghar Farhadi
Date of birth	May 7, 1972
Nationality	Iranian
Occupation	Film director, Screenwriter, Film Producer
Gender	Male

Asghar Farhadi was born in Homayoun Shahr, Isfahan, Iran on May 7, 1972. He is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. His worldwide films, which reveal sensitive and difficult tales of internal family disputes and center on the human condition, have won praise from critics. 

The dramas About Elly, A Separation, The Past, The Salesman, Everyone Knows, and A Hero are among his works. He was included as one of the most important persons in the world in 2012 on the Time 100 list. In the same year, France also awarded him the Legion of Honor.

10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Name	Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor
Date of birth	April 16, 1947
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Gender	Male

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. was born in New York City on April 16, 1947. He is an American former professional basketball player. He participated in 20 NBA seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) a record six times in his career as a center. He was also a record 19-time All-Star, a member of the All-NBA Team 15 times, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. As a player, he was a part of six NBA championship teams, and as an assistant coach, he was a part of two more. He was twice selected as the NBA Finals MVP. He was selected on three NBA anniversary teams (35th, 50th, and 75th). He is recognized as one of the best players of all time and was dubbed the greatest basketball player of all time by Pat Riley, Isiah Thomas, and Julius Erving.

11. Hasan Minhaj

Name	Hasan Minhaj
Date of birth	September 23, 1985
Nationality	American
Occupation	Comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host
Gender	Male

Hasan Minhaj was born in Davis, California on September 23, 1985. He is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host of Indian descent. Two Peabody Awards and two Webby Awards were given to Hasan Minhaj’s Netflix series Patriot Act.

From 2014 until 2018, Minhaj served as the senior correspondent for The Daily Show, where he originally rose to prominence. Before that, he performed stand-up comedy and had brief television appearances. Homecoming King, his debut stand-up comedy special, which debuted on Netflix on May 23, 2017, garnered positive reviews from reviewers and earned him his first Peabody Award in 2018.

12. Shabana Azmi

Name	Shabana Azmi
Date of birth	September 18, 1950
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Actress, Social Activist
Gender	Female

Shabana Azmi was born in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, India on September 18, 1950. She is an Indian actress of Hindi film, television and theater.

As one of the prominent actors of parallel cinema—a new-wave movement noted for its serious subject matter and neorealism—which at the time enjoyed official support—Azmi made her film debut in 1974. Since then, Azmi has acted in several overseas productions and more than 160 Hindi films, both in mainstream and indie cinema. Many of her films have been praised for their progressive depictions of Indian society, including its rituals and traditions.

13. Riz Ahmed

Name	Rizwan Ahmed
Date of birth	December 1, 1982
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor and rapper
Gender	Male

Rizwan Ahmed was born in London, England on December 1, 1982. He is a British actor and rapper.

As a rapper, Ahmed is a member of the Swet Shop Boys. He has released the hip hop albums Microscope and Cashmere to critical acclaim as well as commercial success. His song “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” won an MTV Video Music Award. Ahmed also appeared on the Hamilton Mixtape, which topped the Billboard 200 chart.

Ahmed is a well-known political rap artist who also works as an activist. He has promoted representation in the House of Commons and helped raise awareness and money for Rohingya and Syrian refugee children.

14. Shohreh Aghdashloo

Name	Shohreh Aghdashloo
Date of birth	May 11, 1952
Nationality	Iranian, American
Occupation	Actress
Gender	Female

Shohreh Aghdashloo was born in Tehran, Iran on May 11, 1952. She is an Iranian and American actress. In Chess of the Wind, she made her film debut after playing numerous leading roles on stage. Aghdashloo’s next two movies, The Report and Sooteh Delan received positive reviews and made her a leading lady in Iran, despite the fact that both of them were outlawed in her own country.

During the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Aghdashloo relocated to England before coming to the United States and naturalizing there. Her performance in House of Sand and Fog earned her numerous awards from film critics and a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress after years of playing small parts in television and film.

15. DJ Khaled

Name	Khaled Mohammed Khaled
Date of birth	November 26, 1975
Nationality	American
Occupation	DJ, record executive, record producer, rapper, hype man
Gender	Male

Khaled Mohammed Khaled was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 26, 1975. He is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. The hip hop collective Terror Squad hired Khaled as a DJ for their live performances after he first rose to fame as a radio host on the station 99 Jamz in the 1990s. Khaled’s debut studio album, Listennn… the Album, earned gold certification when it was released in 2006 after he was given production credits on the band’s songs. 

Khaled has achieved success as a writer outside of the music industry, with his book The Keys appearing on the New York Times Best Seller list. He has also been seen in films such as Spies in Disguise and Bad Boys for Life as an actor.

16. Aasif Mandvi

Name	Khaled Mohammed Khaled
Date of birth	March 5, 1966
Nationality	British, American
Occupation	Actor, comedian and author
Gender	Male

Aasif Hakim Mandviwala was born in Mumbai, India on March 5, 1966. He is a British-American actor, comedian and author. 

From 2006 to 2017, he worked as a correspondent for The Daily Show. The HBO comedy series The Brink and the CBS/Paramount psychological drama Evil are among Mandvi’s other television credits. In The Last Airbender and Spider-Man 2 respectively, he played Commander Zhao and Mr. Aziz, respectively. On Broadway, he played Ali Hakim in Oklahoma!

17. Mahershala Ali 

Name	Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore
Date of birth	February 16, 1974
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actor
Gender	Male

Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore was born in Oakland, California on February 16, 1974. He is an American actor. Before landing his breakthrough role as Richard Tyler in the science fiction series The 4400, Ali started his career as a regular on television shows like Crossing Jordan and Threat Matrix after earning an MFA from New York University. 

In the David Fincher-directed fantasy The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he played his first significant movie role. He became more well-known thanks to his supporting performances in the last two installments of The Hunger Games movie series and in House of Cards, for which he was nominated for his first Primetime Emmy Award.

18. Raekwon

Name	Corey Woods
Date of birth	January 12, 1970
Nationality	American
Occupation	Rapper
Gender	Male

Corey Woods was born in New York City on January 12, 1970. He is an American rapper. He first gained notoriety as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which became a household name after the 1993 release of their self-titled debut album. Later, Raekwon would pursue a solo career and put out his debut record, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, in 1995. 

The disc received praise from critics and is regarded by many as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time as well as a mainstay of rap in the 1990s.

19. Omar Sharif

Name	Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub
Date of birth	April 10, 1932
Nationality	Egyptian
Occupation	Actor
Gender	Male

Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub was born in Alexandria, Kingdom of Egypt on April 10, 1932. He is an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country’s greatest male film stars.

His acting career began in his home country in the 1950s, but he is best known for his roles in productions in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Italy. Over the course of his 50-year career, he appeared in over 100 movies and received numerous awards, including three Golden Globes and a César for Best Actor.

Five languages, Arabic, English, French, Italian, and Spanish, were all spoken by Sharif. He resisted the travel restrictions imposed by the Gamal Abdel Nasser administration in Egypt, which led to his exile in Europe.

20. Malala Yousafzai

Name	Malala Yousafzai
Date of birth	July 12, 1997
Nationality	Pakistani
Occupation	Activist
Gender	Female

Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Swat, Pakistan on July 12, 1997. She is a Pakistani female education activist. She became a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014. The first Pashtun and second Pakistani to win a Nobel Prize, she received it at the age of 17, making her the youngest recipient ever. 

In her native Swat, where the Pakistani Taliban occasionally forbade girls from attending school, she is renowned for advocating for human rights, particularly the education of women and children. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called her Pakistan’s “most prominent citizen” after her advocacy turned into a global movement.

21. Dave Chappelle

Name	David Khari Webber Chappelle
Date of birth	August 24, 1973
Nationality	American
Occupation	Stand-up comedian and actor
Gender	Male

David Khari Webber Chappelle was born in Washington, D.C. on August 24, 1973. He is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His satirical comedy sketch series Chappelle’s Show, in which he starred until he left in the middle of the third season of filming, is his most well-known work. 

Following a break, Chappelle resumed touring the country doing stand-up comedy. Chappelle was dubbed “the best” by a Billboard writer in 2013 and the “comic genius of America” by Esquire in 2006. He was ranked No. 9 in Rolling Stone’s list of the “50 Best Stand Up Comics of All Time” in 2017. 

22. Ice Cube

Name	O’Shea Jackson Sr.
Date of birth	June 15, 1969
Nationality	American
Occupation	Rapper, actor, film producer, writer, director
Gender	Male

O’Shea Jackson Sr. was born in Los Angeles, California on June 15, 1969. He is an American rapper, actor, and filmmaker.His political rap solo albums AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate, and The Predator were well-received both critically and commercially. His lyrics on N.W.A’s 1988 album Straight Outta Compton helped gangsta rap gain widespread popularity.  Since the early 1990s, he has also maintained a successful film career. As a member of N.W.A, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

23. Lupe Fiasco

Name	Wasalu Muhammad Jaco
Date of birth	February 16, 1982
Nationality	American
Occupation	Rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur
Gender	Male

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 16, 1982. He is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, his debut album, was a commercial triumph in 2006, catapulting him to prominence. 

Additionally, he performs under his actual name as the lead singer of the rock group Japanese Cartoon. Fiasco ran 1st and 15th Entertainment as an entrepreneur and served as its CEO. Fiasco has pursued a variety of entrepreneurial endeavors, including fashion, in addition to music. In addition to running two apparel brands, Righteous Kung-Fu and Trilly & Truly, he has also created footwear for Reebok.

24. Iman Abdulmajid

Name	Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid
Date of birth	July 25, 1955
Nationality	Somali
Occupation	Supermodel, actress, and entrepreneur
Gender	Female

Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid was born in Mogadishu, Banaadir, Trust Territory of Somaliland on July 25, 1955. She is a Somali supermodel, actress, and entrepreneur. She is known for her charity efforts in addition to being a model for designers Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace, and Thierry Mugler. From 1992 until his passing in 2016, she was wed to rock star David Bowie. 

Iman has served as CARE’s first-ever Global Advocate since September 2019. In this capacity, she collaborates with CARE to further its purpose to build a society in which all people live with dignity and security. She presently works closely with the Children’s Defense Fund and is a spokesman for the Keep a Child Alive initiative.

25. Jermaine Jackson

Name	Jermaine La Jaune Jackson
Date of birth	December 11, 1954
American	American
Occupation	Singer-songwriter and bassist
Gender	Male

Jermaine La Jaune Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on December 11, 1954. He is an American singer-songwriter and bassist. He is primarily recognized for being a Jackson family member. Jermaine Jackson played bass guitar and was the Jackson 5’s second vocalist (behind his brother Michael) from 1964 to 1975. He has been a part of the Jacksons, as the group is currently called, since 1983.

Jermaine produced and recorded duets with Whitney Houston at her debut in 1985, had a solo career that ran concurrently with his brother Michael’s, had a few top-30 successes up to the 1980s, and was a producer for the band Switch. He reconnected with The Jacksons after seven years and remained throughout all of their splits and reunions.

26. Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam

Name	Steven Demetre Georgiou
Date of birth	July 21, 1948
American	British
Occupation	Singer-songwriter and  multi-instrumentalist
Gender	Male

Steven Demetre Georgiou was born in London, England on July 21, 1948. He is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Folk, pop, rock, and, later in his career, Islamic music make up his musical palette. In 2006, he resumed creating secular music. 2014 saw his admission to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Stevens converted to Islam in December 1977, and the following year, he took the name Yusuf Islam. He gave all of his instruments away at auction in 1979 and gave up his music profession to focus on charitable and educational activities in the Muslim community. Since then, thanks to the efforts of his son Yoriyos, he has purchased at least one of these guitars back.

27. Busta Rhymes

Name	Trevor George Smith Jr.
Date of birth	May 20, 1972
American	American
Occupation	Rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor
Gender	Male

Trevor George Smith Jr. was born in New York City on May 20, 1972. He is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Busta Rhymes was a founding member of the group Leaders of the New School, which gained notoriety when they served as Public Enemy’s opening act while on tour. His popularity increased as a result of their presence in the song “Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest. 

After the duo disbanded soon after, Rhymes became a highly sought-after solo musician, contributing to various songs for other artists prior to the release of his solo debut album, The Coming. He received a Grammy nomination for the album, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 album list and was given a platinum certification by the RIAA.

28. Akon

Name	Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam
Date of birth	April 16, 1973
American	Senegalese-American
Occupation	Singer, record producer, and entrepreneur
Gender	Male

Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 16, 1973. He is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Following the release of “Locked Up,” the lead song from his debut album Trouble, and “Lonely,” the second single, he gained notoriety in 2004.

Three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Best Rap/Sung Song for “Smack That”, were given to his second album, Konvicted. These two songs were followed by “Don’t Matter” and “Sorry, Blame It on Me,” which both peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The lead single from Freedom, his third studio album, was “Right Now”.

29. Q-Tip

Name	Jonathan William Davis
Date of birth	April 10, 1970
American	American
Occupation	Rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ
Gender	Male

Jonathan William Davis was born in New York City on April 10, 1970. He is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. He goes by the moniker The Abstract and is known for his avant-garde jazz-inspired hip-hop production style as well as his philosophical, intellectual, and contemplative lyrical subjects. 

He began his musical career as the main producer and MC of the well-known alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest in the late 1980s. He co-founded the production company The Ummah in the middle of the 1990s, and his gold-certified solo debut Amplified was released in 1999.

30. Mos Def/Yasiin Bey

Name	Dante Terrell Smith
Date of birth	December 11, 1973
American	American
Occupation	Rapper, singer, song writer, and actor
Gender	Male

Dante Terrell Smith was born in Brooklyn, New York City on December 11, 1973. He is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. His career in hip hop began in 1994 when he and his siblings formed the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which they contributed to Da Bush Babees and De La Soul albums. Together with fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli, he established the group Black Star. 

In 1999, he published his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, and was a member of the Rawkus Records roster. The New Danger, True Magic, and The Ecstatic followed his debut before his career took off. On their list of the “50 Greatest Rappers of All Time,” About.com ranked him at position 14. “Oh No,” “Ms. Fat Booty,” and “Mathematics” are a few of his hits.

31. Faran Tahir

Name	Faran Haroon Tahir
Date of birth	February 16, 1963
American	Pakistani-American
Occupation	Actor
Gender	Male

Faran Haroon Tahir was born in Los Angeles, California on February 16, 1963. He is a Pakistani-American actor. Tahir was born in Los Angeles into a household of creative people. His grandparents were the novelists Imtiaz Ali Taj and Hijab Imtiaz Ali, and his parents were the actor Naeem Tahir and the radio broadcaster Yasmeen Tahir.

In 1989, Tahir made his television debut on Midnight Caller as a desk employee. He made his acting debut in 1994’s live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book by Disney as Nathoo. His latter acting credits include Raza in Iron Man, Captain Robau in Star Trek, and President Patel in Elysium, among other prominent parts.

32. French Montana

Name	Karim Kharbouch
Date of birth	November 9, 1984
American	Moroccan-American
Occupation	Rapper
Gender	Male

Karim Kharbouch was born in Casablanca, Morocco on November 9, 1984. He is a Moroccan-American rapper. He was born and reared in Morocco before moving to the United States at the age of 13. He is the creator of Coke Boys Records and Cocaine City Records, which he replaced. After releasing independent music for years, he inked a combined recording contract with Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group and Puff Daddy’s Bad Boy Records in 2012.

After releasing his first mixtape in 2007, Kharbouch achieved his first major success in 2010 with the song “Choppa Choppa Down.” On May 21, 2013, he made his first studio album, Excuse My French.

33. Humza Arshad 

Name	Humza Mohammed Arshad
Date of birth	June 3, 1985
American	English
Occupation	Actor, comedian and writer
Gender	Male

Humza Mohammed Arshad was born in Casablanca, Morocco on June 3, 1985. He is an English actor, comedian and writer of Pakistani descent. 

Diary of a BadMan and Badman are online series he makes. He is one of the most well-known internet comedians in the UK because of the more than 100 million views on his self-made YouTube videos. Arshad was hired by the East Midlands Police in October 2014 to conduct seminars at local schools in an effort to stop the radicalization of British Muslims. To warn students about the risks of being exposed to extremist ideologies, he created the 15-minute documentary “Think for Yourself.” At the fourth annual Shorty Awards, he was up for a nomination in the YouTube star category in 2012.

34. Maz Jobrani 

Name	Maziyar Jobrani
Date of birth	February 26, 1972
American	Iranian-American
Occupation	Actor and comedian
Gender	Male

Maziyar Jobrani was born in Tehran, Imperial Iran on February 26, 1972. He is an American comedian and actor. He belonged to the comedic troupe “Axis of Evil.” The foursome made an appearance on a Comedy Central comedy special. Jobrani has further made appearances on radio, at comedy clubs, and in a number of films and television programs, including Better Off Ted. 

He has appeared in The Interpreter, Friday After Next, Dragonfly, and Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero, among other movies. On the 2017 CBS series Superior Donuts, he made frequent appearances as a character. He has served on the National Iranian American Council’s advisory board (NIAC).

35. Mohammed “Mo” Amer 

Name	Mohammed Mustafa Amer
Date of birth	July 24, 1981
American	Palestinian-American
Occupation	Stand-up comedian
Gender	Male

Mohammed Mustafa Amer was born in Kuwait on July 24, 1981. He is a Palestinian-American stand-up comedian. He is most known for being one-third of the comic group Allah Made Me Funny and for his Netflix comedy special Mo Amer: The Vagabond. Additionally, he co-starred for two seasons as Mo, the diner owner relative of comic Ramy Youssef, in the Hulu comedy Ramy. He plays the lead role in Black Adam. 

Additionally, he produced and starred in the Netflix television series Mo. The program, which debuted in August 2022 and is partially based on his own experiences as a Palestinian refugee growing up.

36. Mara Brock Akil

Name	Mara Dionne Brock
Date of birth	May 27, 1970
American	American
Occupation	Screenwriter and television producer
Gender	Female

Mara Dionne Brock was born in Los Angeles, California on May 27, 1970. She is an American screenwriter and television producer. In 1994, Brock Akil made his television writing debut with the critically praised but short-lived Fox series South Central. She wrote for Moesha for four seasons before joining The Jamie Foxx Show in 1999 as a supervising producer and writer. 

Brock Akil executive produced and developed the UPN television program Girlfriends in 2000. She and her husband Salim Akil also created and executive produced The Game, a Girlfriends spin-off. Brock Akil started working as a consultant producer and writer for the ABC comedy Cougar Town in 2009. Being Mary Jane on BET, which debuted in 2013, was made by her.

37. Tania Gunadi 

Name	Tania Gunadi
Date of birth	July 29, 1983
American	Indonesian-American
Occupation	Actress and producer
Gender	Female

Tania Gunadi was born in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia on July 29, 1983. She is an Indonesian-American actress and producer. She relocated to Los Angeles after winning a green card lottery when she was a youngster. She participated in a free adult ESL program to study English when she first arrived in the US. 

Later, she enrolled at a university in Los Angeles. She started as a telephone operator at Pizza Hut. After landing a role in a Disneyland commercial, Gunadi made the decision to pursue an acting career.

38. Salman Khan

Name	Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan
Date of birth	December 27, 1965
American	Indian
Occupation	Actor, film producer, and television personality
Gender	Male

Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan was born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India on December 27, 1965. He is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality.

Khan has won various honors over the course of a more than 30-year film career, including two National Film Awards as a producer and two Filmfare Awards as an actor. He is mentioned in the media as one of Indian cinema’s most financially successful performers. Khan appeared on Forbes’ lists of the highest-paid celebrities in the world in 2015 and 2018, the latter year making him the highest-ranked Indian.

39. Abbas Kiarostami

Name	Abbas Kiarostami
Date of birth	June 22, 1940
American	Iranian
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer
Gender	Male

Abbas Kiarostami was born in Tehran, Iran on June 22, 1940. He is an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. Kiarostami began making movies in 1970 and has since worked on more than forty projects, including documentaries and shorts. He shot outside of Iran for the first time in later films Certified Copy and Like Someone in Love, which were shot in Italy and Japan, respectively. 

In a 2018 critics’ survey conducted by BBC Culture, his movies Where Is the Friend’s Home?, Close-Up, and The Wind Will Carry Us were listed among the top 100 foreign films. Also included in the top 50 all-time films was Close-Up in the renowned Sight & Sound poll, which was done in 2012.

40. Rizwan Manji 

Name	Rizwan Manji
Date of birth	October 17, 1974
American	Canadian
Occupation	Actor
Gender	Male

Rizwan Manji was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on October 17, 1974. He is a Canadian actor.  His parents are Indian immigrants who left Tanzania. His family is Ismaili-Muslim and of Gujarati Indian ancestry, and he has stated that his faith is very important to him. 

He is most known for his performances as Ray Butani on Schitt’s Creek, Tick Pickwick on The Magicians, Rajiv Gidwani in the NBC Universal TV series Outsourced, and Jamil in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series Peacemaker and the movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

41. Shaquille O’Neal

Name	Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal
Date of birth	March 6, 1972
Nationality	American
Occupation	Basketball player
Gender	Male

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was born in New York City on March 6, 1972. He is an American former professional basketball player. O’Neal is among the best centers and basketball players of all time. His height is 7 feet 1 inches (2.16 meters), his weight is 325 pounds (147 kilograms), and he has won four NBA championships. He is a center. He represented six different teams throughout his 19-year NBA career. 

O’Neal is a former basketball player who has also put out four rap albums, the first of which, Shaq Diesel, was certified platinum. O’Neal also performs as a DJ and uses the stage name DIESEL to create electronic music.

42. Gigi Hadid 

Name	Jelena Noura “Gigi” Hadid
Date of birth	April 23, 1995
American	American
Occupation	Model and television personality
Gender	Female

Jelena Noura “Gigi” Hadid was born in Los Angeles, California on April 23, 1995. She is an American model and television personality. She claims to be descended from Prince of Nazareth and Sheik of Galilee Daher Al Omer through her father.

She entered the Top 50 Models list at Models.com for the first time in November 2014. She received the British Fashion Council’s 2016 International Model of the Year award. She has been on 35 different worldwide Vogue magazine covers in the last four years.

43. Mariah Idrissi

Name	Mariah Idrissi
Date of birth	August 16, 1992
American	British
Occupation	Model, public speaker, and online personality
Gender	Female

Mariah Idrissi was born in London, United Kingdom on August 16, 1992. She is a British model, public speaker, and online personality. 

Idrissi made history in 2015 when she became the first Muslim model to wear a hijab. She did so as part of H&M’s “Close the Loop” advertising campaign. Since then, Idrissi has become a leading expert on “modest fashion,” appearing on both domestic and international news programs to discuss the topic. Idrissi signed with the modeling agency Select in 2016 and Insanity Group Management in 2017.

44. Anggun 

Name	Anggun Cipta Sasmi
Date of birth	April 29, 1974
American	Indonesian, French
Occupation	Singer-songwriter and television personality
Gender	Female

Anggun Cipta Sasmi was born in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 29, 1974. She is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. She started performing when she was seven years old and two years later she made a children’s CD. 

In 1986, Anggun released Dunia Aku Punya, her debut studio album with rock influences, with the aid of Indonesian producer Ian Antono. With the release of the track “Mimpi,” which Rolling Stone named one of the 150 greatest Indonesian songs of all time, she gained even more popularity. Following it, she released a number of singles and three more studio albums, solidifying her position as one of the most well-known Indonesian female rock performers of the early 1990s.

45. Big Daddy Kane

Name	Antonio Hardy
Date of birth	September 10, 1968
American	American
Occupation	Rapper
Gender	Male

Antonio Hardy was born in New York City on September 10, 1968. He is an American rapper. He started his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is considered as one of hip hop’s most influential and accomplished MCs. According to Rolling Stone, he was “a great writer of rap’s late-golden period and a big impact on a generation of MCs,” ranking his song “Ain’t No Half-Steppin'” at number 25 on their list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time.

46. T-Pain 

Name	Faheem Rashad Najm
Date of birth	September 30, 1984
American	American
Occupation	Rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer
Gender	Male

Faheem Rashad Najm was born in Tallahassee, Florida on September 30, 1984. He is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.

T-Pain helped make the creative use of the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect, utilized with extreme parameter settings to create unique voice sounds, popular throughout his career as a singer. The rappers Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Future, and Travis Scott, among others, have all adopted the effect as a result of his success with it. T-Pain started his own vanity label imprint, Nappy Boy Entertainment, in 2005 after signing with artist Akon’s Konvict Muzik.

47. SZA 

Name	Solána Imani Rowe
Date of birth	November 8, 1989
American	American
Occupation	Singer and songwriter
Gender	Female

Solána Imani Rowe was born in St. Louis, Missouri on November 8, 1989. She is an American singer and songwriter. Following her regular education, she went to a Muslim preparatory school every day. Rowe, however, decided to quit wearing her hijab in the seventh grade as a result of bullying after the September 11 attacks.

Beginning her career as a musician in the early 2010s, she released two extended plays before joining the hip-hop record company Top Dawg Entertainment, through which she released Z, her third EP and first retail release. She collaborated with Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj to write “Feeling Myself” in the same year. In Rihanna’s song “Consideration” from 2016, she was a featured performer.

48. Swizz Beatz 

Name	Kasseem Daoud Dean
Date of birth	September 13, 1978
American	American
Occupation	Record producer, rapper, DJ and songwriter
Gender	Male

Kasseem Daoud Dean was born in New York City on September 13, 1978. He is an American record producer, rapper, DJ and songwriter.  As a DJ, Dean started his musical career. At the age of 18, his family’s record company, Ruff Ryders, as well as his connection and collaboration with East Coast rapper DMX helped him start to establish himself in the hip hop community. 

Working with DMX as his producer, DJ, and hype man helped Dean become a well-known figure in the hip hop world.

49. Richard Thompson 

Name	Richard Thompson
Date of birth	April 3, 1949
American	English
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Gender	Male

Richard Thompson was born in Notting Hill, London, England on April 3, 1949. He is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. As the principal guitarist and composer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention, which he co-founded in 1967, Thompson originally rose to fame in the late 1960s. 

Following his departure from the band in 1971, Thompson issued Henry the Human Fly, his first solo album, in 1972. His musical taste, the themes covered by his lyrics, and the worldview he expresses via his songs have not changed significantly. He’s still a devout Muslim.

50. Yuna

Name	Yunalis binti Mat Zara’ai
Date of birth	November 14, 1986
American	Malaysian
Occupation	Singer
Gender	Female

Yunalis binti Mat Zara’ai was born in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia on November 14, 1986. She is a Malaysian singer. Her first big break came from her Myspace song upload, which went viral and earned over a million plays. Her music was discovered by an indie-pop label/management business thanks to her internet popularity, and at the beginning of 2011 she signed with the Fader Label. 

Her breakthrough track “Crush,” which she co-wrote with Usher and reached number three on the US Billboard Adult R&B chart, is what most people remember her for. She ranked second among female singers in Malaysia between 2010 and 2015, behind only Siti Nurhaliza and Stacy.

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