Sir Hugh Rankin, 3rd Baronet

Sir Hugh Charles Rhys Rankin, 3rd Baronet (1899 – 25 April 1988) was a soldier and sheep farmer and noted eccentric, who was the President of the British Muslim Society in 1935 for a short period.

The son of Lt-Col Sir (James) Reginald Lea Rankin, 2nd Baronet, a big game hunter, Rankin was born 'Hubert', but changed his first name to Hugh; he would later be known as 'Omar', 'Sammy Parks', and 'Rankin Stewart' (having adopted the surname of Stewart by deed poll in 1932, retaining it until 1946). As a soldier with the 1st Royal Dragoons, he became a broadsword champion in 1921, but suffered an injury through a sniper's attack that ended his military career. At the time he inherited his father's baronetcy, Rankin was working as a sheep farmer in Western Australia. It was his subsequent travels in the Middle East that led to his meeting Lord Headley (known as Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Farooq), who persuaded Rankin to convert to Islam. He adopted the name Omar, and in 1935 took the position of President of the British Muslim Society. Finding a lack of fellowship with other members, however, he resigned after a few weeks, and turned to Buddhism. He was survived by his second wife, Lady Robina, and his baronetcy was inherited by his nephew, Sir Ian Niall Rankin, 4th Baronet.