1. Moses:
One of the most prominent Hebrew religious leaders, Moses is regarded as the most important prophet in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, Rastafari and Chrislam, amongst many other faiths. He acted according to the request of God and freed the Jews from the brutality and slavery they were experiencing under the Pharaoh of Egypt. He was also God's chosen one to receive the Ten Commandments, which were given to him in the form of a stone tablet. The Ten Commandments still hold importance in the world.
2. John Calvin
A powerful French theologian and pastor, John Calvin is one of the well known Protestants, whose name prominently figured during the Protestant Reformation. Famous for his involvement in Calvinism, a theological system that defines Christian theology, Calvin was raised in a Roman Catholic family. Though he had been trained as a humanistic lawyer, destiny had some other plans for him. He parted from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1520s, around which time his religious conversion also took place. From thence, till his death, he worked as a reformer. Calvin authored several books, letters, treatise and doctrines during his lifetime.
3. Zoroaster
Zoroaster is famous throughout the world as the principal founder of Zoroastrianism. A pious, noble and compassionate person, Zoroaster was a great messenger of Ahura Mazda and eventually became the Prophet of Iran. The message of the Prophet was simple - lead a high moralistic life that would pave way for immortality and eternal bliss. He also asked people to follow the doctrine of the God of Righteousness, Ahura Mazda.
4. Martin Luther
Martin Luther is most popularly known as the Father of Protestantism. A German monk, theologian, university professor, priest and church reformer, Luther was the one who began the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization. He taught that all men are equal and salvation can only be received when a person attains true faith in Jesus. He challenged papacy and declared that Holy Bible is the only perfect source of Christian doctrine. It was his theological views that continued to live and sustain his legacy, despite his death.
5. St Paul
A Hellenistic Jew, St Paul is known worldwide as one of the earliest Christian missionaries, along with Saint Peter and James the Just. He was also known as Paul the Apostle, the Apostle Paul and the Paul of Tarsus. However, he preferred to call himself 'Apostle to the Gentiles'. Paul had a broad outlook and was perhaps endowed as the most brilliant person to carry Christianity to varied lands, such as Cyprus, Asia Minor (modern Turkey), mainland Greece, Crete and Rome. St Paul's efforts to accept gentile converts and make Torah unnecessary for salvation was a successful task.
6. St Francis of Assisi
Honored by the Catholic Church as the Patron Saint of animals and ecology, and even Italy, St. Francis was the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more popularly known as the Franciscans. He is also considered the first Italian poet by literary critics. Apart from being regarded as valuable religious texts, his works have great literary value as well. For the ease of the commoners, Francis always wrote in a dialect of Umbria, instead of Latin. St. Francis called for simplicity of life, poverty and humility before God. He led his life serving the poor and needy.
7. John The Baptist
John the Baptist is regarded as the precursor of Jesus Christ. A very well-known preacher, he gave sermons about the proximity of God's Final Judgment. He asked people to repent for their sins and baptized those who apologized in self-preparation for the Lord to come. According to the Scriptures, it was John only who recognized Jesus and decreed Him as the Messiah of the people. The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the Acts of the Apostles, and the Jewish historian Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews comprise of the only sources of information about the life of John the Baptist.
8. John Wesley
John Wesley was the founder of Arminian Methodist movement. A brilliant organizer, he formed societies throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. One of the best works of Wesley was when he appointed itinerant, un-ordained preachers to evangelize and care for people in the societies. This way, he brought more people to the church, apart from spreading salvation. Wesley wanted every Christian to attain the status of perfect love, wherein the love of God and neighbor would reign in the hearts of people. For about half decade, Wesley preached in the fields, halls, cottages, chapels and in churches that would allow him entry.
9. John Huss
John Huss (a.k.a. Jan Hus) is regarded to be one of the earliest known religious thinkers and reformers in the world. A philosopher and a Master at Charles University (Prague), Huss was greatly influenced by the writings and teachings of John Wyclife. He made a number of followers during his time, who came to be known as Hussites. Reformers, in the later years, looked up to Huss for his unswerving commitment in the face of the church's cunning brutality, due to which he had to face extreme consequences. Condemning Hus' uprising, the Church first excommunicated him and then burned him to death, in an unfair trial.
10. Isaiah
A Judean Prophet, Isaiah is believed to have indulged in the act of prophesizing, for forty-four years of his life. He is one of the main figures in the Biblical Book of Isaiah and is sometimes considered as its author also. He immensely believed in the power of God and said that the world belongs to the Almighty and that He would destroy it as well. Isaiah advised people to turn to God for everything in life and was immensely displeased by the lack of faith. Today, in the weekly Sabbath readings, much more Haftaras are taken from the books of Isaiah, than any of the other prophets.
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