The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History

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The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History is a 1978 book by Michael H. Hart, reprinted in 1992 with revisions. It is a ranking of the 100 people who, according to Hart, most influenced human history.

The first person on Hart's list is the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (S.A.W). Hart asserted that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was "supremely successful" in both the religious and secular realms. He also believed that the role of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) in the development of Islam was far more influential than Jesus' collaboration in the development of Christianity. He attributes the development of Christianity to St. Paul, who played a pivotal role in its dissemination.

The 1992 revisions included the demotion of figures associated with Communism, such as Vladimir Lenin and Mao Zedong, and the introduction of Mikhail Gorbachev. Hart took sides in the Shakespearean authorship issue and substituted Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford for William Shakespeare. Hart also substituted Niels Bohr and Henri Becquerel with Ernest Rutherford, thus correcting an error in the first edition. Henry Ford was also promoted from the "Honorary Mentions" list, replacing Pablo Picasso. Finally, some of the rankings were re-ordered, although no one listed in the top ten changed position.

(Book intro taken from Wikipedia)

Khalil Gibran - Golden Words of a Lebanese Philosopher

Khalil Gibran (Khalil Jibran) (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) a Lebanese-American philosopher and writer. While in his early age, he immigrated with his family to the United States. In Lebanon, he is still famous as a fictional idol. He is generally known in the English-speaking countries for his book "The Prophet (1923)", an example of motivational stories along with a sequence of philosophical articles published in lyrical English writing. 

Some quotes from his literary work are given below:

A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?

 Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself.

I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers. 

 Faith is knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.

Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood.