Best of Humanity

No one should ask why didn't I put religious people in the list below
I am not going to
And I don't have an obligation to tell about what I believe
I am not going to
faith is in the heart (very personal)
it is not something that I have to promote or to start marketing
and don't philosophize me with what is right or wrong in this regards

Anyway, this post is about my list of people I consider ... heroes.
In fact it is the list I wanted to make before deciding otherwise

Those people in my eyes participated in a way or another either in delivering a message of a great value to humanity, or helped in pushing humanity into a better and a more prosper level.



Nelson Mandela: He is on the top pf the list (not that I made an order for this one). He is the symbol of humanity. He fought for his people, he met his enemies, sat with them to negotiate and reconciliate, and made the apartheid system apologize for all atrocities they committed. He set the basis for transforming South Africa to a democratic country where no differences among people because of color or ethnic group.

The list of awards he received from different countries and organizations is a proof of how this legend is honored and loved by humanity

One of the reasons I love him because he was one of the strongest critic of George W Bush when the latter invaded Iraq without the consensus of the UN, when he said ""It is a tragedy, what is happening, what Bush is doing. But Bush is now undermining the United Nations."



Stephen Hawkings : Love him for his genius and determination. Some consider him as the second Einstein. He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (or ALS) in mid 1960'sm but in spite of this fatal disease, he had the determination to finish PhD, build a career that brought him fame, and to have a family like any normal person.

He is the first quadriplegic to float in zero-gravity.

His most famous work are: A Brief History of Time, published on 1 April 1988. The book surprisingly became a best-seller and was followed by The Universe in a Nutshell (2001). He is planing to retire this year.

I loved his cameo appearance on Star Trek, the Next Generation, when played himself as a hologram - episode name "Descent".




Muntadhar Al Zaidi: The only man on earth who had the courage and gut to stand and send a clear message to a president who engulfed the whole world with wars and enriched hostility among different countries in the world.

A young journalist from al Baghdadia satellite TV station who is known for his coverage and reports on the plight of widows, orphans, and children in Iraq after the 2003 War

On March 12, 2009, al Zaidi was sentenced to three years of prison for assaulting a foreign leader. His lawyers indicated they expect to appeal the sentence.




Willem van Oranje: or "Willem the Silent (Willem de Zwijger, in Dutch)". I put him in the list because in the middle of political and religious instability (and oppression) this man called and planted the root of tolerance, and to lay ground for one principle the Netherlands later became known of.

He is the founder of today's Dutch monarch, House of Nassau. He is also known as the leader of the revolt against Spanish occupation that led to the 80 years war and resulted in the formal independence.

He was assassinated on July 10, 1584, because he was considered a traitor to the Catholic church. According to historians, he is the first head of state ever to be killed by the use of a handgun.




Tim Berners-Lee: I truly believe that the internet is the most important invention humanity found. I realize that Robert Kahn & Vinton Cerf have laid the foundation for the Internet in 1970's. They developed TCP/IP, which is the technological achievement, which enabled the transfer of data as we know it now.

However, Berners-Lee, a computer programmer is the one who made the internet the way we know it today: He is responsible for the breakthrough concept of creating the system of Internet addresses that begin with the now-familiar "http://" (which stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol) and the language used to create Web pages, HTML (or HyperText Markup Language).

He is now the director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which oversees the Web's continued development, among other posts.




Moustapha Al Akkad: Ironic but that's reality, Sad but true. This can be said on Moustapha Al Akkad; He is the first man who brought to the west what really Islam is all about (the Message and Omar Al Mukhtar movies). His message was unique and honest, but that did not like some from around the world. He was killed in Jordan's terrorist attack on hotels in July 2005.

If that man was still alive, AND given the opportunity (and resources), media in the Arab and Muslim world would take millions of light years forward step.

He is the one who said repeatedly that the tool to win a war is not by obtaining the latest war technology. This became minor, because the media now IS the weapon that can cause a regime to fall on its knees.




Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918-2004): he is the man who turned an arid desert to one of the most sophisticated and advanced countries in the world in less than a decade. A leader that many citizens would love to have as their leader. Ask any Arab, from the east to west about Zayed: they will start their say with "god rest his soul, he is the best Arab leader who cared for his people and others living on his land"

With his wisdom, tribes in that country would be still fighting each other, raid on each other, and hate each other. He is the one who brought them all under one united umbrella and explained to them the wealth of that country and how it would be in the future if they remained united.





Leonardo Da Vinci - One of the best and most influential people to humanity. He is an inspiration to many, and layd the ground for humanity to advance further in many aspects of life.

He was a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer. What else can humanity benefit of?

Hi word and invenstions are waaaaay ahead of his time - does the story of the bridge design Da Vinci sent to the Ottoman Sultan in 1502 is a living proof?. In addition, Da Vinci inventions varied from conceptualising a helicopter, a tank, concentrating solar power, making a calculator...etc

The number of achievements and work by this legend won't fit here - not even a seperate post would give him credit for his geniuesness.






Ziryab - His influence on the progression of music till today is remarkable. As one source put it regarding his achievements "He is credited with introducing the lute (Al-U'd) to Spain and also with adding a fifth bass string to it. It is said he knew 10,000 songs (more than your Ipod can hold) and he was largely responsible for adding Persian music and poetry to Andalucian culture."

I couldn't find a picture of Ziryab anywhere, that's why the Oud picture was the best to nothing choice.










Salah Uldeen Al Ayyoby, or Saladin, as medieval Europe history books call him. He is to me the symbol that combines massive (sometimes aggressive) power with merciness and jenorousity, with a wisdom and diplomacy can be the pillar that stands on. He is admired by both supporters and enemies alike for his military tactics, his leadership, even for his personality and attitude.

French writer Rene Grousse, said about him: "It is equally true that his generosity, his piety, devoid of fanaticism, that flower of liberality and courtesy which had been the model of our old chroniclers, won him no less popularity in Frankish Syria than in the lands of Islam"