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Ismail al-Faruqi

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Isma'il al-Faruqi
إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي
Official portrait, c. 1980
Born(1921-01-01)1 January 1921
Died27 May 1986(1986-05-27) (aged 65)
Wyncote, Pennsylvania, United States
Cause of deathMurder by stabbing
Resting placeForest Hills Cemetery, Pennsylvania
40°07′49″N 75°01′31″W / 40.1303°N 75.0253°W / 40.1303; -75.0253
Nationality Palestine
 United States
Spouse
(m. 1951; died 1986)
Children5
Academic background
Education
Academic work
EraContemporary Islamic philosophy, 20th-century philosophy
DisciplinePhilosophy
Sub-disciplineComparative religion, Islamic studies
Institutions
Main interests
Notable works
 
Notable ideas
 
Websiteismailfaruqi.com
Signature
Isma'il al-Faruqi's signature

Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi (Arabic: إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي, romanizedIsmāʿīl Rājī al-Fārūqī; [ʔisˈmæːʕiːl ˈɾaːdʒiː ɪl.fɑːˈɾuːqiː]; January 1, 1921 – May 27, 1986) was a Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar who worked extensively in Islamic studies and interfaith dialogue. He spent several years at Al-Azhar University in Cairo and taught at universities in North America, including McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Al-Faruqi was a professor of religion at Temple University, where he founded and chaired the Islamic Studies program. He also co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). Al-Faruqi authored more than 100 articles and 25 books, including Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas (1967) and Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life (1982), examining Islamic thought, ethics, the concept of monotheism, and interfaith relations.

Biography

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Early life and education

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Al-Faruqi was born in Jaffa, in British-mandate Palestine.[2][3] His father, 'Abd al-Huda al-Faruqi, was an Islamic judge (qadi). Al-Faruqi received his early religious education at home and in the local mosque. His father's influence significantly shaped al-Faruqi's early religious and moral education.[4] In 1936, he began attending the French Dominican Collège des Frères de Jaffa.[2][5] Later al-Faruqi moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where he continued his studies at the American University of Beirut (AUB). At AUB, al-Faruqi was influenced by Arab nationalist movements and prominent Christian Arab nationalists such as Constantin Zureiq, Nabih Amin Faris and Nicola Ziadeh. These influences contributed to his adoption of Arabism.[4] The academic environment at AUB included compulsory attendance of Christian missionary lectures and courses promoting Western modernity, which influenced his ideological development.[4]

In 1942, he was appointed as a registrar of cooperative societies under the British Mandate government in Jerusalem. In 1945, he became the district governor of Galilee.[3] Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, he enrolled at Indiana University, obtaining his M.A. in philosophy with a thesis titled The Ethics of Reason and the Ethics of Life (Kantian and Nietzschean Ethics) in 1949.[6] He followed this with a second M.A. in philosophy from Harvard University in 1951 and earned his Ph.D. with a thesis titled On Justifying the Good from Indiana University in 1952.[7] During this period, he met and married Lois Lamya al-Faruqi.

In his master's thesis, al-Faruqi examined the ethics of Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche. His early philosophical work laid the groundwork for his later critiques of Western ethical systems and his development of Islamic ethical thought.[8] In his doctoral thesis, al-Faruqi argued that values are absolute, self-existent essences known a priori through emotional intuition. He based his theories on Max Scheler's use of phenomenology and Nicolai Hartmann's studies in ethics.[9][10] His studies led him to conclude that the absence of a transcendent foundation leads to moral relativism, prompting him to reassess his Islamic heritage.

Within six years of arriving in the United States, he recognized the need for a more thorough study of Islam, which led him to study at Egypt's Al-Azhar University from 1954 to 1958.[11] By the time he left the United States, he had developed new questions about moral obligations and sought to integrate his intellectual pursuits with his Islamic identity.[12]

Academic career

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In 1958, al-Faruqi was offered a visiting fellowship at McGill University's Faculty of Divinity. He joined the Institute of Islamic Studies at the invitation of its founder, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, teaching alongside Smith from 1958 to 1961.[13] During this time, he studied Christian theology and Judaism, becoming acquainted with Pakistani philosopher Fazlur Rahman. Fazlur Rahman observed that al-Faruqi's immersion in these traditions under Smith's mentorship was pivotal, refining his comparative outlook on religious studies and interfaith dialogue.[14][15]

In 1961, Fazlur Rahman facilitated a two-year appointment for al-Faruqi at the Central Institute of Islamic Research in Karachi, Pakistan, where he served as a visiting professor until 1963.[2] Fazlur Rahman later highlighted this experience as deepening al-Faruqi's understanding of cultural diversity within Islam, an influence that shaped his subsequent theories on comparative religion and meta-religion.[14][16][17]

In 1964, al-Faruqi returned to the United States, where he held concurrent roles as a visiting professor at the University of Chicago's Divinity School and as an associate professor at Syracuse University.

In 1968, he joined Temple University as a professor of religion, where he founded the Islamic Studies Program and held the position until he died in 1986.[18] During his tenure at Temple University, al-Faruqi mentored many students, including his first doctoral student, John Esposito.[19][20]

Death and burial

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Shared grave marker of the Faruqis.

In May 1986, Ismail al-Faruqi and his wife, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, were murdered at their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, by Joseph Louis Young, also known as Yusuf Ali.[3] Young, who had prior associations with the local Muslim community, confessed to the crime, was sentenced to death, and died in prison of natural causes in 1996.[21][22][23] Their daughter, Anmar el-Zein, who was pregnant at the time, survived multiple stab wounds and required extensive medical treatment.[24]

Nearly 4,000 mourners, including international dignitaries, gathered at the Masjid Muhammad mosque in West Philadelphia to honor al-Faruqi and his wife. The service included eulogies from speakers who remembered al-Faruqi as a significant figure and community member.[25] Following the prayer service, the Faruqis were buried together at Forest Hills Cemetery in Lower Moreland Township, Pennsylvania.[25]

The murders of the Faruqis sparked widespread speculation about the motives behind the attack, with theories ranging from a politically motivated assassination to a botched burglary.[12][26][27][28]

During a conference at the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2008, Anis Ahmad shared that al-Faruqi had once confided in him about his father's two supplications: that he might become a great scholar and die as a shahid (martyr). Al-Faruqi is reported to have wondered, "Now I am a scholar, but how can I die a shahid in the US?" Malik Badri reflected that "Allah Ta'ala accepted both supplications."[4]

Philosophy and thought

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Early thought: Arabism

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Al-Faruqi's early intellectual focus centered on ‘urubah (Arabism).[5] He argued that ‘urubah was the core identity uniting all Muslims into a single community of believers (ummah) and viewed Arabic as essential for fully understanding Islamic teachings, as it is the language of the Qur’an. Initially focused on ‘urubah as central to Muslim unity, al-Faruqi's experiences abroad gradually broadened his focus to encompass a wider Islamic identity beyond an Arab-centric view.[14][29]

Al-Faruqi held that ‘urubah intertwined both linguistic and religious dimensions, asserting that Islam and monotheism represented Arabism's contributions to humanity. He contended that restoring Islamic civilization depended on revitalizing Arabic as a central unifying cultural force for Muslims globally.[30] His portrayal of Arabism extended beyond nationalism, positioning it as an ideological bridge across ethnic divides within Islam.[5][31]

Central to al-Faruqi's thought was tawhid (monotheism), which he described as a defining element of Arab religious consciousness. He argued that the shared monotheistic roots of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism underscored Arabism's contribution to world religion, contrasting this with contemporary ideologies that promoted division and nationalism.[32] Al-Faruqi maintained that Islam's revival necessitated the elevation of Arabic language and culture, advocating for them as unifying elements for Muslims across diverse regions.[33]

Despite al-Faruqi's deep commitment to ‘urubah, scholars often critiqued his stance as being essentialist, arguing it risked marginalizing non-Arab Muslims. Some felt his assertion that Arabic was uniquely suited for Islamic thought neglected the rich intellectual contributions from non-Arab Muslims throughout history. These critiques, particularly from non-Arab Muslim intellectuals, highlighted concerns that his early philosophy prioritized Arab culture over Islam's universal aspects.[34] His exposure to Pakistan's diverse Islamic culture, however, began to influence his perspective, gradually moving him away from an Arab-exclusive viewpoint.[35]

His experiences abroad, particularly in Pakistan, broadened his perspective and led him to reconsider the Arab-centric lens through which he initially viewed Islam. Exposure to diverse Muslim societies prompted him to recognize a more expansive Muslim identity beyond language or ethnicity, embracing a universal spiritual ethos. Over time, this broadened vision emphasised Islamic unity that prioritized shared spiritual and ethical dimensions. This shift reflected al-Faruqi's belief in a transnational Islamic civilization, fostering unity across linguistic and cultural boundaries.[29][36]

Ethics and value theory

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Al-Faruqi's philosophical inquiries included a critique of Kantian ethics, particularly regarding moral universality, which he sought to develop further within an Islamic ethical framework. In his PhD thesis, On Justifying the Good (1952),[7] al-Faruqi explored philosophical questions related to goodness, value, and ethics, engaging critically with Western ethical theories. Drawing from the works of philosophers like Scheler and Kant, al-Faruqi identified two main fallacies in ethical reasoning: the naturalistic fallacy and the ambiguity fallacy. He argued that the naturalistic fallacy arises when ethical concepts are conflated with natural human desires. Al-Faruqi criticized John Stuart Mill's association of happiness with desirability, positing that this view risks equating ethical value with subjective desires, which he saw as potentially leading to ethical relativism.[37]

Al-Faruqi's analysis of the ambiguity fallacy focused on what he described as the attribution of value based on ambiguous standards. He argued that philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel sometimes conflated terms like "utility" and "value" without providing clear distinctions. According to al-Faruqi, defining virtues primarily in terms of happiness could obscure the true nature of ethical value. He proposed that values should be understood independently of empirical or relative standards and claimed they are known a priori through emotional intuition rather than empirical observation.[37]

In his examination of Scheler's theories, al-Faruqi proposed a classification of values, distinguishing between intrinsic and absolute values. He argued that these values exist independently of empirical influences and asserted that they represent a foundation for ethical inquiry. Al-Faruqi's framework in value theory was intended to provide an alternative to what he viewed as limitations in Western ethical thought. His dissertation laid the groundwork for his later efforts to integrate Islamic principles into modern academic disciplines, contributing to his broader concept of the Islamization of knowledge.[37]

Shift to Islamism

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Until a few months ago, I was a Palestinian, an Arab, and a Muslim. Now I am a Muslim who happens to be an Arab from Palestine.

—Isma'il al-Faruqi[38]

Al-Faruqi's perspectives shifted significantly after relocating to the United States, where his involvement with the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Temple University exposed him to a diverse array of Muslim students. This experience prompted him to reconsider his earlier emphasis on Arabism, moving instead toward a broader Islamic identity over Arab nationalism. Malik Badri described this transformation, noting that, "For the first time in his life, al-Faruqi met a group of young students who shattered his conceptualization of Arabism. He had to submit to Islam as the ummah's real binding force – especially since Arabs are only a small minority within it."[4] Al-Faruqi himself articulated this shift by stating, "Until a few months ago, I was a Palestinian, an Arab, and a Muslim. Now I am a Muslim who happens to be an Arab from Palestine".[38] He further remarked, "I asked myself: Who am I? A Palestinian, a philosopher, a liberal humanist? My answer was: I am a Muslim".[19]

In his exploration of Islam's role in North America, al-Faruqi highlighted the historical contributions and challenges of African Muslims, from early settlement to the influences of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X on the Islamic movement among African Americans. His insights on the ethical foundations of Islam, the concept of the Ummah, and the responsibilities of Muslim immigrants have played a role in shaping the Muslim experience in North America.[39]

This shift also influenced his approach to interfaith dialogue. Al-Faruqi believed that a unified Islamic identity was essential for fostering meaningful interactions with non-Muslim communities. His involvement in the MSA and his exposure to diverse Muslim backgrounds in the U.S. reinforced his commitment to a broader, inclusive Islamic identity over his earlier Arab-centric views.[35]

Views on Tawhid

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Al-Tawhid is that which gives Islamic civilization its identity, which binds all its constituents together and thus makes of them an integral, organic body which we call civilization. In binding disparate elements together, the essence of civilization in this case, al tawhid—impresses them by its own mould. It recasts them to harmonize with and mutually support other elements.

—Isma'il al-Faruqi[40]

Al-Faruqi's views on tawhid included a critical perspective on Sufism, which he considered to emphasize mysticism and esoteric practices. He critiqued Sufism for its mysticism, arguing that it often detracted from the rational and practical aspects of Islam.[41] Al-Faruqi was inspired by Mu'tazilī theologians such as al-Nazzam and Al-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar, who advocated for the use of reason and logic in understanding Islamic principles. Additionally, he found value in the works of the Brethren of Purity (Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ), whose writings combined Islamic teachings with elements of Greek philosophy.[42]

Al-Faruqi's emphasis on tawhid went beyond theology, encompassing an integrated approach that unified rational thought, ethics, and social responsibility across all aspects of life.[3] He argued that tawhid is "that which gives Islamic civilization its identity, which binds all its constituents together and thus makes of them an integral, organic body".[43] Al-Faruqi explains:

To acknowledge that there is no god but Allah (SWT) is to recognize Him as sole Creator, Lord and Judge of the world. It follows from this witnessing that man was created for a purpose, since God does not work in vain; and that this purpose is the realization of the divine will as it pertains to this world in which human life finds its theater.[44]

He also asserted that this principle "purges religion clean of all doubt regarding the transcendence and unicity of the Godhead."[45]

This approach extended to his vision of secularism and materialism, which he viewed as challenges to Islamic unity and ethical integrity. Al-Faruqi argued that Islam's vision for society requires an integrated worldview where tawhid "marks a complete secularization of the natural world to allow for the development of the sciences," thus separating the sacred from nature while upholding a unified ethical framework.[46] His response to Western secular ideologies was rooted in a belief that tawhid calls for a holistic framework where reason and faith work together, as opposed to the spiritual-material divide seen in secular ideologies.[29]

Meta-religion

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Al-Faruqi sought to establish principles of meta-religion grounded in reason, aiming to evaluate religions by universal standards rather than by comparing them against each other. This approach was intended to find common ground for cooperation among diverse faiths. Central to his concept of meta-religion is a shared, intrinsic belief in the One God, which he argued represents the original "pure form of faith" predating the diversification of religions. As al-Faruqi envisioned, meta-religion is distinct from historical religion, focusing on universal principles rooted in fitrah (natural religion) as a basis for mutual understanding and interfaith cooperation.[47]

Within this framework, din al-fitrah is an innate human disposition toward the divine, suggesting that meta-religion provides an internalized recognition of truth that transcends specific religious labels. This perspective supports a form of interfaith understanding that acknowledges shared spiritual foundations without equating the doctrinal specifics of each faith. Rather than affirming religious pluralism in its conventional sense, meta-religion upholds that religions mirror varying degrees of the original monotheistic truth inherent in human nature.[47]

To facilitate dialogue, al-Faruqi proposed several guiding principles: all dialogue should be open to critique, communication must adhere to laws of internal and external coherence, dialogue should align with reality and remain free from "canonical figurizations," and discussions should emphasize ethical questions over theological disputes.[48] Al-Faruqi's concept of meta-religion involves a belief in God or Ultimate Reality as the "totally other." He emphasized that Islam, as a universal meta-religion preached by all prophets, centers on the concept of tawhid, which encompasses both the oneness and transcendence of God and humanity's duty to reflect divine harmony within the world.[29]

Al-Faruqi also asserted that the study of religion should focus less on validating its truth through external or functional measures and more on understanding the condition of the homo religiosus—the naturally religious human being with an inherent awareness of the divine.[49]

For al-Faruqi, meta-religious dialogue served as a vehicle for fostering mutual understanding and respect among faith communities, bridging the gaps created by doctrinal differences. His emphasis on ethics over theology was intended to support more constructive and less contentious interfaith engagements.[35]

Comparative religion

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Al-Faruqi's work in comparative religion aimed to create a framework for respectful engagement among diverse faith traditions. He explored philosophical contrasts and convergences between Islam and Christianity, especially regarding interpretations of Hebrew scripture. He emphasized that during the peak of Islamic civilization, interreligious dialogue was a public pastime and a common topic in intellectual circles, showcasing its historical precedence.[50] His approach examined differing hermeneutical methods and theological frameworks, identifying shared values that could support interfaith dialogue while respecting doctrinal distinctions.[51] He believed in the value of dialogue initiated based on mutual respect and ethical considerations, stating that "conversion to the truth is the aim of dialogue," reflecting his commitment to honest interfaith engagement.[52]

Cover of the 1967 edition of Christian Ethics

Al-Faruqi argued that, unlike Islam, Christianity lacks explicit foundations for structuring social frameworks such as law and economics, which he viewed as essential to societal cohesion:

The lack of foundation in the Christianist dogma for a sound societism perturbed the Christian mind very strongly during the last one hundred years. The growth of urban centers, of industry, of the means of communication, brought about a realization of the need for a new kind of social cohesion... But the Church, being the loyal guardian of that legacy, could answer him only in paradoxes which availed nothing... It was not that the Church could have helped but refrained—it really did its acrobatic best—but that there was no way to obvert the fact that Jesus’ message was not a societist one.[53]

He further observed what he viewed as a fundamental internal conflict in Western ethics stemming from this dualistic legacy, stating:

Ever since he became a Christian, Western man has lived a split life and suffered from a split personality. Jesus and his ethical renunciation on the one hand, and nature with its self-assertion, nature-affirmation and ‘worldliness’ on the other, divided his loyalty and being. Although he conducted his life oblivious to Jesus’ emphasis on the spiritual over and against the material, yet he invoked Jesus’ blessing for every move.[53]

In addition to his exploration of Christian theology, al-Faruqi engaged with contemporary Western philosophy, examining ethics through thinkers like Kant, Scheler, and Hartmann. His comparative studies also extended into ethical and metaphysical questions, where he highlighted differing value systems between Western and Islamic thought.[54]

In examining religious traditions historically, al-Faruqi saw potential for interfaith dialogue that acknowledges shared principles alongside distinctive beliefs.[55] Al-Faruqi argued that Western ethics often emphasize individualism, whereas Islamic ethics prioritize communal welfare and divine accountability. These contrasting frameworks, he suggested, shape each tradition's broader views on morality, existence, and purpose.[53]

Some critics, such as Damian Howard, suggest that al-Faruqi's approach to interfaith engagement emphasizes Islamic viewpoints more than fostering reciprocal understanding across faiths, potentially limiting the dialogue’s depth and inclusiveness.[56]

Islamization of knowledge

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Al-Faruqi was instrumental in conceptualizing holistic knowledge, a framework that integrates Islamic principles with modern disciplines, an approach often described as neo-modernist. Concerned about the secularization of knowledge in Muslim societies, al-Faruqi advocated for a holistic epistemology, reinterpreting Islamic thought to address contemporary challenges.[1][29] He described what he called "the malaise of the ummah," arguing that reliance on Western tools and methodologies led to a disconnection from ecological and social realities in Muslim nations, often overlooking essential Islamic ethics.[57] Al-Faruqi emphasized the integration of Islamic values within modern knowledge systems to help preserve the ethical fabric of the Muslim community.[32]

The later part of al-Faruqi's career concentrated on the Islamization of knowledge concept.[18] Responding to what he saw as the secularization and Western dominance of Muslim educational systems, he envisioned an integration of Islamic values with contemporary scientific and academic disciplines, ultimately striving for an epistemology rooted in ethical integrity.[58] This concept included economic principles such as zakat and prohibitions on usury to ensure that economic activity aligned with Islamic ethics.[29] His ideas eventually led to the founding of IIIT, which aimed to create an Islamic epistemology and methodology applicable across disciplines.[59]

Al-Faruqi's methodology also extended to social sciences, where he advocated frameworks that retained Islamic ethical considerations while critiquing Western secularism. His goal was to replace secular principles with a foundation built on Islamic ethics that aligned with the values of the ummah.[29] He envisioned a unified Islamic curriculum that incorporated contemporary disciplines while firmly grounding them in Islamic thought.[60] This approach sought to produce scholars capable of addressing modern challenges from an Islamic perspective, stressing both curriculum development and practical strategies for reforming educational systems.[35]

Some scholars, such as Ibrahim Kalin, have critiqued al-Faruqi's focus on humanities, arguing it left the natural sciences largely unexamined. Kalin describes al-Faruqi's work as an example of how "the idea of method or methodology (manhaj and manhajiyyah)... can obscure deeper philosophical issues involved in the current discussions of science."[61] Despite Al-Faruqi's goal to Islamize Western knowledge, Kalin asserts, his focus "was exclusively on the humanities, leaving scientific knowledge virtually untouched."[61] This omission, Kalin argues, led to unintended consequences: "First, Faruqi's work on Islamization provided his followers with a framework in which knowledge (ilm) came to be equated with social disciplines, thus ending up in a kind of sociologism... Second, the exclusion of modern scientific knowledge from the scope of Islamization has led to negligent attitudes... toward the secularizing effect of the modern scientific worldview."[61]

Kalin's critique suggests that al-Faruqi's limited engagement with scientific knowledge risks creating a framework overly centered on sociological interpretations of Islamic knowledge. By omitting the natural sciences, Kalin argues, al-Faruqi's approach inadvertently reinforces a secular divide between natural and human sciences that may leave modern Muslim intellectuals unequipped to address the philosophical and epistemological challenges posed by contemporary science.[61]

Critique of Zionism

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Al-Faruqi was a vocal critic of Zionism, viewing it as incompatible with Judaism due to its nationalist ideology.[62] He argued that the injustices caused by Zionism necessitated its dismantling.[62] Al-Faruqi envisioned an alternative path for Israeli Jews who renounced Zionism, suggesting they could live as an "ummatic community" within the Muslim world, where they could preserve their faith under Jewish law as interpreted by rabbinic courts supported within an Islamic framework.[62] This perspective highlighted his belief that Islamic governance could accommodate diverse communities without imposing on their religious practices:

[Islam] requires the Jews to set up their own rabbinic courts and put its whole executive power at its disposal. The shari'ah, the law of Islam, demands of all Jews to submit themselves to the precepts of Jewish law as interpreted by the rabbinic courts, and treats defiance or contempt of the rabbinic court as rebellion against the Islamic state itself, on a par with like action on the part of a Muslim vis-à-vis the Islamic court.[63]

Reflecting on Zionism's impact, al-Faruqi argued that rather than providing security for Jews, it had created a precarious existence for Jews in Israel, where life became defined by conflict and reliance on foreign powers:

Zionism has not only contributed to this sad state of affairs. It is directly responsible for it. How, then, can it be said that it had succeeded in providing security for the Jew? Even in the very heartland of Zionism, in Israel, the Jew sits in the midst of an armory, surrounding himself with barbed wire, minefields, and all kinds of weaponry to prevent an onslaught which he knows for certain is coming, sooner or later. His very existence is a regimented spartanism, due in greatest measure to the bounty of international imperialism and colonialism. Thus, Israel, the so-called greatest achievement of Zionism, is really its greatest failure. For the very being of the Zionist state rests, in final analysis, on the passing whim of international politics.[62]

Al-Faruqi's critique of Zionism was rooted in his commitment to justice as defined within an Islamic worldview.[63]

Legacy and impact

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Scholarly achievements

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Al-Faruqi contributed to Islamic studies through his extensive writings and active involvement in academic and interfaith organizations. He authored over 100 articles in scholarly journals and magazines and published 25 influential books,[5] including Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas (1968), Islam and the Problem of Israel (1980), and Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life (1982). These works addressed a wide range of topics, including ethics, theology, interfaith dialogue, and the integration of Islamic thought into contemporary academic disciplines.[18]

Al-Faruqi was the first Muslim academic to engage in the phenomenological and history of religious approaches. He viewed these approaches as contributing to the appreciation of Islam as part of human religious history and enabling Muslim engagement in the modern study of religion and as a participant in building understanding between religions.[18]

In 1973, al-Faruqi established the Islamic Studies Group in the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and chaired it for ten years.[18] This initiative provided a formal platform for Muslim scholars to engage in dialogue with scholars from other religious traditions, particularly in comparative religion and interfaith studies.[18] Besides his academic work, al-Faruqi held leadership positions such as vice president of the Inter-Religious Peace Colloquium and president of the American Islamic College in Chicago.[64][12]

The first logo used by IIUM (initially known as IIU).

In March 1977, al-Faruqi played a significant role in the First World Conference on Muslim Education in Makkah. This conference included participants such as Muhammad Kamal Hassan, Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, and Syed Ali Ashraf, among others. The conference laid the groundwork for establishing Islamic universities in Dhaka, Islamabad, Kuala Lumpur, Kampala, and Niger. Al-Faruqi was instrumental in the conference's deliberations and the development of its action plans.[20]

He also served as an adviser to political leaders in the Muslim world, including Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in Pakistan and Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia.[42] During Zia-ul-Haq's administration, al-Faruqi contributed to the establishment of the International Islamic University in Islamabad in 1980, which aimed to integrate Islamic values with contemporary academic disciplines. In Malaysia, al-Faruqi advised Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, assisting in the foundation of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in 1983. Both institutions were established to combine religious and secular knowledge within a holistic educational framework.[42][65]

In 1980, Ismail al-Faruqi co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)[3] with Taha Jabir Alalwani, Abdul Hamid AbuSulayman, and Anwar Ibrahim. His involvement in interfaith dialogue promoted mutual understanding and cooperation among religious communities, fostering a global environment of peace and respect that highlighted the commonalities between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.[66]

Contemporary relevance

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Al-Faruqi's ideas on the Islamization of knowledge continue to resonate within contemporary Islamic thought, influencing curriculum development in universities such as the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the International Islamic University, Islamabad.[65] His emphasis on integrating Islamic principles with modern academic disciplines remains relevant among scholars and educators who aim to harmonize faith and reason. His work is frequently cited in academic conferences and publications related to Islamic thought and education.[18][67][68]

Al-Faruqi's contributions to interfaith dialogue are also widely recognized. His approach emphasized finding common ethical and moral ground between faith traditions, particularly Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Scholars have noted that his focus on ethical principles over theological differences fostered mutual understanding and respect among religious communities.[64][69][70] His framework has been influential in global efforts to promote peace and cooperation across religious divides.[18]

Al-Faruqi's impact extends beyond academia into practical applications. His work in religious studies inspired the creation of related academic programs, particularly in institutions that have adopted his methodologies, such as the mandatory religious studies courses at the International Islamic University Malaysia, which aim to understand spiritual traditions and their civilizational significance comprehensively.[65]

Additionally, al-Faruqi's scholarly works, such as Christian Ethics[71] and Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths,[72] continue to serve as key resources in interfaith dialogue and comparative religion studies. These works have shaped discussions in Islamic and Western academic circles, highlighting the intersections between these religious traditions.[18][65][73]

His contributions have been recognized posthumously, particularly in communities like Montreal, where his scholarship and community-building efforts left a lasting impact.[13][64]

Timeline

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Date Key Milestones
1921 Born in Jaffa, Mandatory Palestine on January 1.
1936 Began education at Collège des Frères de Jaffa.
1942 Appointed registrar of cooperative societies under the British Mandate government.
1945 Became district governor of Galilee.
1948 Emigrated to Beirut, Lebanon after the Arab-Israeli War.
1949 Obtained M.A. in philosophy from Indiana University.
1951 Completed second M.A. in philosophy at Harvard University.
1952 Earned Ph.D. from Indiana University with a thesis on ethics.
1954–1958 Studied at Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
1958 Joined McGill University's Institute of Islamic Studies as a visiting fellow.
1961–1963 Served as a visiting professor at the Central Institute of Islamic Research in Karachi, Pakistan.
1964 Held concurrent positions at the University of Chicago's Divinity School and Syracuse University.
1968 Joined Temple University as a professor, founding its Islamic Studies Program.
1973 Established the Islamic Studies Group in the American Academy of Religion.
1977 Played a major role in the First World Conference on Muslim Education in Makkah.
1980 Co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT).
1983 Advised Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia, contributing to the founding of International Islamic University Malaysia.
1986 Tragically murdered with his wife in Wyncote, Pennsylvania on the morning of May 27.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b al-Faruqi, Ismail (October 13, 2024). Every Muslim Must Be A Scientist. Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi. Event occurs at 0:12. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Imtiyaz Yusuf, ed. (2021). Essential Writings: Ismail Al Faruqi. Kuala Lumpur: IBT Books. p. 3.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Faruqi, Ismail Raji al- (1986)". The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford Reference. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Badri, Malik (2014). "Psychological reflections on Ismail al-Faruqi's life and contributions". The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences. 31 (2): 145–152. doi:10.35632/ajis.v31i2.1052.
  5. ^ a b c d Esposito, John L.; Voll, John O. (2001). "Ismail al-Faruqi". Makers of Contemporary Islam. Oxford University Press. pp. 52–70.
  6. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1949). The Ethics of Reason and the Ethics of Life (Kantian and Nietzschean Ethics) (Master's thesis). Bloomington: Indiana University.
  7. ^ a b Al-Faruqi, Isma'il (1952). On Justifying the Good (PhD thesis). Bloomington: Indiana University.
  8. ^ Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 35–37. ISBN 1851681337.
  9. ^ Scheler, Max (1960). On the Eternal Man. Translated by Bernard Noble. London: SCM Press.
  10. ^ Scheler, Max (1961). Man's Place in Nature. Boston: Beacon Press.
  11. ^ Imtiyaz Yusuf, ed. (2021). Essential Writings: Ismail Al Faruqi. Kuala Lumpur: IBT Books. p. 4.
  12. ^ a b c Fletcher, Charles (2014). Muslim-Christian Engagement in the Twentieth Century: The Principles of Inter-faith Dialogue and the Work of Ismail Al-Faruqi. United Kingdom: I.B.Tauris. p. 34.
  13. ^ a b Balfour, Clair (July 31, 1986). "Islamic scholar slain in U.S. was figure in Montreal". The Gazette. Montreal.
  14. ^ a b c Rahman, Fazlur (1990). "Palestine and My Experiences with the Young Faruqi: 1958 to 1963". Journal of Islamic Research (in Turkish). 4 (4). Translated by M. Hayri Kırbaşoğlu: 295–300.
  15. ^ Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 42–44. ISBN 1851681337.
  16. ^ Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 90. ISBN 1851681337.
  17. ^ Siddiqui, Ataullah (1997). Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Twentieth Century. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Ltd. p. 73. ISBN 0333673581.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i Yusuf, Imtiyaz (Spring–Summer 2014). "Ismail al-Faruqi's Contribution to the Academic Study of Religion". Islamic Studies. 53 (1/2). Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad: 108–110. JSTOR 44627369.
  19. ^ a b Quraishi, M. Tariq (1986). Ismail al-Faruqi: An Enduring Legacy. MSA Publications. p. 9.
  20. ^ a b "Editorial". The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences. 28 (3): ii–xii. 2011.
  21. ^ "Black Muslim Charged in Slaying of Islamic Scholar and His Wife". The New York Times. January 18, 1987.
  22. ^ O'Bryan, Ruth (July 8, 1987). "Confession Details Stalking, Slaying Of Islamic Scholars". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  23. ^ Bell, Adam (March 11, 1996). "Inside the Capitol (Joseph Louis Young dies of natural causes on death row)". The Patriot News.
  24. ^ Paolantonio, S. A.; Duggan, Paul (January 18, 1987). "Statement Is Said to Back Religious-Attack Theory". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. A.8. ProQuest 1831221807.
  25. ^ a b Eshleman Jr., Russell E. (May 31, 1986). "4,000 Mourners Pray For The Soul Of Slain Islamic Scholar And Wife". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  26. ^ Toth, Anthony B. (November 1986). "Focus on Arabs and Islam". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.
  27. ^ "Assassination motive behind al-Faruqi killings". New Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. August 20, 1986. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  28. ^ "Zionist backlash against Arab intellectuals". New Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. August 21, 1986. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g Mukhetdinov, D. V. (2018). "Philosophy of Ismail Raji al-Faruqi: In Search of Neomodernism". Islam in the Modern World (in Russian). 2: 165–182. doi:10.22311/2074-1529-2018-14-2-165-182.
  30. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (1962). 'Urubah and Religion: An Analysis of the Dominant Ideas of Arabism and of Islam as Its Highest Moment of Consciousness. On Arabism. Vol. 1. Amsterdam: Djambatan.
  31. ^ Siddiqui, Ataullah (1997). Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Twentieth Century. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Ltd. p. 85. ISBN 0333673581.
  32. ^ a b Bakar, Osman (2005). Strum, Philippa (ed.). The Intellectual Impact of American Muslim Scholars on the Muslim World, with Special Reference to Southeast Asia. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. pp. 96–97. ISBN 1-933549-98-X.
  33. ^ Siddiqui, Ataullah (1997). Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Twentieth Century. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Ltd. p. 80. ISBN 0333673581.
  34. ^ Chejne, Anwar G. (Summer 1963). "Review of On Arabism, 'Urubah and Religion: A Study of the Fundamental Ideas of Arabism and Islam at Its Highest Moment of Consciousness, by Isma'il Ragi A. al-Faruqi". Middle East Journal. 17 (3). Middle East Institute: 330–331. JSTOR 4323622. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  35. ^ a b c d Fletcher, Charles D. (2015). Muslim-Christian Engagement in the Twentieth Century: The Principles of Interfaith Dialogue and the Work of Isma'il al-Faruqi. London: I.B. Tauris. pp. 35–37.
  36. ^ Sonn, Tamara (1989). "Arab Americans in Education: Cultural Ambassadors?". Arab Studies Quarterly. 11 (2/3). Pluto Journals: 127–139. JSTOR 41859061.
  37. ^ a b c Jasser Auda (2013). "قراءة في أطروحة الدكتوراه للمرحوم إسماعيل الفاروقي: حول إثبات الخير (A Critical Reading of Ismail al-Faruqi's PhD Thesis: On Justifying the Good)". Islamization of Knowledge Journal (in Arabic) (Fall 2013). VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought.
  38. ^ a b Ba-Yunus, Ilyas (1988). "Al Faruqi and Beyond: Future Directions in Islamization of Knowledge". The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences. 5 (1): 14.
  39. ^ al-Faruqi, Ismail R. (1983). "Islamic Ideals in North America". In Waugh, Earle H.; Abu-Laban, Baha; Qureshi, Regula B. (eds.). The Muslim Community in North America. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta Press. pp. 260–270. ISBN 088864034X. OCLC 243596066.
  40. ^ Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life, International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1982, p. 17.
  41. ^ Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 53–55. ISBN 1851681337.
  42. ^ a b c Yusuf, Imtiyaz (2022). "Ismail Al Faruqi". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. 3. Koninklijke Brill NV.
  43. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1982). Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life. Herndon, VA: IIIT. p. 35.
  44. ^ al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1982). Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought. p. 91.
  45. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1982). Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life. Herndon, VA: IIIT. p. 46.
  46. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1982). Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life. Herndon, VA: IIIT. p. 52.
  47. ^ a b Mohd Farid bin Mohd Sharif; Ahmad Sabri bin Osman (2018). ""Din Al-Fitrah" According to al-Faruqi and His Understandings about Religious Pluralism". International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 8 (3): 663–676.
  48. ^ Fletcher, Charles D. (2015). Muslim-Christian Engagement in the Twentieth Century: The Principles of Interfaith Dialogue and the Work of Isma'il al-Faruqi. London: I.B. Tauris. pp. 43–45.
  49. ^ Yusuf, Imtiyaz (Spring–Summer 2014). "Ismail al-Faruqi's Contribution to the Academic Study of Religion". Islamic Studies. 53 (1/2). Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad: 99–115. JSTOR 44627369.
  50. ^ Yousif, Ahmad F. (2017). Studies in World Religions: An Introduction to Monotheistic Traditions. Bandar Seri Begawan: UNISSA Press. pp. Introduction. ISBN 9789991765464.
  51. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (2018). "A Comparison of the Islamic and Christian Approaches to Hebrew Scripture". In International Institute of Islamic Thought (ed.). Isma'il Al Faruqi: Selected Essays. London, Washington: IIIT. pp. 219–235. ISBN 9781565645981.
  52. ^ Smith, Jane I. (2004). "Muslims as Partners in Interfaith Encounter". In Bukhari, Zahid H.; Nyang, Sulayman S.; Ahmad, Mumtaz; Esposito, John L. (eds.). Muslims' Place in the American Public Square: Hope, Fears, and Aspirations. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. p. 188. ISBN 0759106126.
  53. ^ a b c Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1967). Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas. Montreal: McGill University Press. pp. 279–280. OCLC 450143.
  54. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (2018). "The Problem of the Metaphysical Status of Values in the Western and Islamic Traditions". In International Institute of Islamic Thought (ed.). Isma'il Al Faruqi: Selected Essays. London, Washington: IIIT. pp. 251–268. ISBN 9781565645981.
  55. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (2018). "History of Religions: Its Nature and Significance for Christian Education and the Muslim-Christian Dialogue". In International Institute of Islamic Thought (ed.). Isma'il Al Faruqi: Selected Essays. London, Washington: IIIT. pp. 236–250. ISBN 9781565645981.
  56. ^ Howard, Damian (2015). "Review of Muslim-Christian Engagement in the Twentieth Century: The Principles of Interfaith Dialogue and the Work of Isma'il al-Faruqi, by Charles D. Fletcher". Entangled Religions. 2. doi:10.13154/er.v2.2015.XXXV-XXXIX.
  57. ^ Ahsan, Muhammad Amimul (2013). "Islamization of Knowledge: An Agenda for Muslim Intellectuals". Global Journal of Management and Business Research Administration and Management. 13 (10).
  58. ^ Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 67–69. ISBN 1851681337.
  59. ^ Al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji (1982). Islamization of Knowledge: General Principles and Work Plan. IIIT.
  60. ^ Hashim, Rosnani; Rossidy, Imron (2000). "Islamization of Knowledge: A Comparative Analysis of the Conceptions of Al-Attas and Al-Faruqi". Intellectual Discourse. 8 (1): 19–45.
  61. ^ a b c d Ibrahim Kalin (2002). "Chapter 2: Three Views of Science in the Islamic World". In Ted Peters; Muzaffar Iqbal; Syed Nomanul Haq (eds.). God, Life, and the Cosmos: Christian and Islamic Perspectives (First ed.). Routledge. pp. 60–61. ISBN 9780754608837. Ismail Faruqi's work known under the rubric of 'Islamization of knowledge' is a good example of how the idea of method or methodology (manhaj and manhajiyyah, the Arabic equivalents of method and methodology, which are the most popular words of the proponents of this view) can obscure deeper philosophical issues involved in the current discussions of science. Even though Faruqi's project was proposed to Islamize the existing forms of knowledge imported from the West, his focus was exclusively on the humanities, leaving scientific knowledge virtually untouched. This was probably due to his conviction that the body of knowledge generated by modern natural sciences is neutral and as such requires no special attention. Thus, Faruqi's work and that of IIIT after his death concentrated on the social sciences and education. This had two important consequences. First, Faruqi's important work on Islamization provided his followers with a framework in which knowledge (ilm) came to be equated with social disciplines, thus ending up in a kind of sociologism. The prototype ofFaruqi's project is, we may say, the modern social scientist entrusted as arbiter of the traditional Alim. Second, the exclusion of modern scientific knowledge from the scope of Islamization has led to negligent attitudes, to say the least, toward the secularizing effect of the modern scientific worldview. This leaves the Muslim social scientists, the ideal-types of the Islamization program, with no clue as to how to deal with the questions that modern scientific knowledge poses. Furthermore, to take the philosophical foundations of modern, natural sciences for granted is tantamount to reinforcing the dichotomy between the natural and human sciences, a dichotomy whose consequences continue to pose serious challenges to the validity of the forms of knowledge outside the domain of modern physical sciences.
  62. ^ a b c d Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (2003). Islam and the Problem of Israel. Kuala Lumpur: The Other Press. pp. 103–104.
  63. ^ a b al-Faruqi, Ismail R. (1983). "Islam and Zionism". In Esposito, John L. (ed.). Voices of Resurgent Islam. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 265.
  64. ^ a b c Ghamari-Tabrizi, Behrooz (2004). "Loving America and Longing for Home: Isma'il al-Faruqi and the Emergence of the Muslim Diaspora in North America". International Migration. 42 (2): 62–86. doi:10.1111/j.0020-7985.2004.00281.x.
  65. ^ a b c d Yusuf, Imtiyaz (2019). "Isma'il al Faruqi: The Link Between Tudor and the Muslim World". In Leonard Swidler (ed.). Breakthrough to Dialogue: The Story of Temple University Department of Religion. iPub Global Connection. pp. 179–199.
  66. ^ Yusuf, Imtiyaz (2012). Islam and Knowledge: Al Faruqi's Concept of Religion in Islamic Thought. London: I. B. Tauris.
  67. ^ Wan Sabri, W. Y.; Zuriati, M. R.; Tasnim, A. R.; Ahmad, N. A. (2015). "Islamic Civilization: Its Significance in al-Faruqi's Islamization of Knowledge". International Journal of Islamic Thought. 7 (June): 49. doi:10.24035/ijit.7.2015.005 (inactive November 1, 2024). ISSN 2232-1314.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  68. ^ Shaikh, Saulat (2015). "Ismail al-Faruqi's Concept of the Islamization of Knowledge". Journal of Islamic Studies. 15 (3): 49–57.
  69. ^ Khan, Rahim (2018). "Al-Faruqi's Interfaith Dialogue and Its Contemporary Significance". Journal of Islamic Studies. 15 (3): 209–223.
  70. ^ Zain, Nurul (2013). "The Role of Ismail al-Faruqi in Interfaith Dialogue". Global Journal of Management and Business Research Administration and Management. 13 (10): 10–18.
  71. ^ Al-Faruqi, Ismail Raji (1967). Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas. Montreal: McGill University Press. OCLC 450143.
  72. ^ Al-Faruqi, Ismail Raji (1981). Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths. Herndon, VA: IIIT.
  73. ^ Malik, Mohd. Ashraf (2023). "Contribution of Muslim Scholars to Comparative Religions: Selected Works Study". Insight Islamicus. 23: 74–85.

Published works

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Works authored, co-authored, or edited by al-Faruqi include the titles listed below, covering Islamic philosophy, ethics, interfaith studies, and critiques of contemporary ideologies.

Dissertations

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  • The Ethics of Reason and the Ethics of Life (Kantian and Nietzschean Ethics) (Master's thesis). Bloomington: Indiana University. 1949.
  • On Justifying the Good (PhD thesis). Bloomington: Indiana University. 1952.

Books

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In English

[edit]
  • 'Urubah and Religion: An Analysis of the Dominant Ideas of Arabism and of Islam as Its Highest Moment of Consciousness. On Arabism. Vol. 1. Amsterdam: Djambatan. 1962.
  • Christian Ethics: A Systematic and Historical Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas. Montreal and Amsterdam: McGill University Press and Djambatan. 1968.
  • W.T. Chan; P.T. Raju; J. Kitagawa (1969). The Great Asian Religions. New York: Macmillan.
  • Historical Atlas of the Religions of the World. New York: Macmillan. 1975.
  • Islam and Culture. Kuala Lumpur: ABIM. 1980.
  • Islam and the Problem of Israel. London: The Islamic Council of Europe. 1980. ISBN 983954134X.
  • A. O. Naseef, ed. (1981). Social and Natural Sciences. Sevenoaks, UK and Jeddah: Hodder and Stoughton and King Abdulaziz University.
  • The Hijrah: The Necessity of Its Iqamat or Vergegenwartigung. Kuala Lumpur: ABIM. 1981.
  • Essays in Islamic and Comparative Studies. Herndon, VA: IIIT. 1982.
  • Islamic Thought and Culture. Herndon, VA: IIIT. 1982.
  • Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths. Herndon, VA: IIIT. 1982. ISBN 0915957256.
  • Islamization of Knowledge: General Principles and Work Plan. Herndon, VA: IIIT. 1982.
  • Al-Tawhid: Its Implications For Thought And Life. Kuala Lumpur: IIIT. 1982.
  • Divine Transcendence and Its Expression. Kuala Lumpur: ABIM. 1983.
  • Islam. Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications. 1985.
  • Toward Islamic English. Herndon, VA: IIIT. 1986.
  • The Cultural Atlas of Islam. New York: Macmillan. 1986.

In Arabic

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  • أصول الصهيونية في الدين اليهودي Usul al Sahyuniyah fi al Din al Yahudi (An Analytical Study of the Growth of Particularism in Hebrew Scripture) (in Arabic). Cairo: Institute of Higher Arabic Studies. 1964.
  • الملل المعاصرة في الدين اليهودي Al Milal al Mu'asirah fi al Din al Yahudi (Contemporary Sects in Judaism) (in Arabic). Cairo: Institute of Higher Arabic Studies. 1968.

Unpublished works

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  • An Anthology of Readings on Tawhid. Kuwait: IIFSO.
  • Training Program for Islamic Youth. Kuwait: IIFSO.
  • The Life of Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab. Riyadh: The Ministry of Higher Education.

Translated texts

[edit]
  • K.M. Khalid (1953). From Here We Start. Translated by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. Washington, DC: American Council of Learned Societies.
  • M. al Ghazali (1953). Our Beginning in Wisdom. Translated by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. Washington, DC: American Council of Learned Societies.
  • M. B. Ghali (1953). The Policy of Tomorrow. Translated by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. Washington, DC: American Council of Learned Societies.
  • Haykal, Muḥammad Ḥusayn (1976). The Life of Muhammad. Translated by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. Indianapolis: North American Trust Publications. ISBN 9780892590025.
  • Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al Wahhab (1979). Sourceworks of Islamic Thought: Three Essays on Tawhid. Translated by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. Indianapolis: North American Trust Publications.

Posthumous works

[edit]

Articles

[edit]
  • "On the Ethics of the Brethren of Purity and Friends of Fidelity (Ikhwan al Safa wa Khillan al Wafa)". The Muslim World. 50 (2): 109–121., "On the Ethics of the Brethren of Purity and Friends of Fidelity (Ikhwan al Safa wa Khillan al Wafa)". The Muslim World. 50 (4): 252–258., "On the Ethics of the Brethren of Purity and Friends of Fidelity (Ikhwan al Safa wa Khillan al Wafa)". The Muslim World. 51 (1): 18–24.
  • Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (1962). "Towards a Historiography of Pre-Hijrah Islam". Islamic Studies. 1 (2): 65–87. JSTOR 20832632. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  • Al-Fārūqī, Ismā'il R. (1962). "Towards a New Methodology for Qur'ānic Exegesis". Islamic Studies. 1 (1): 35–52. JSTOR 20832619. Retrieved December 20, 2023., "Towards a New Methodology for Qur'ānic Exegesis". Muslim Life. 11 (1): 4–18. January–March 1964.
  • "On the Significance of Reinhold Niebuhr's Ideas of Society". Canadian Journal of Theology. 7 (2): 99–107., "On the Significance of Reinhold Niebuhr's Ideas of Society". Muslim Life. 11 (3): 5–14. Summer 1964.
  • "A Comparison of the Islamic and Christian Approaches to Hebrew Scripture". Journal of Bible and Religions. 31 (4): 283–293.
  • "محاضرات في تاريخ الأديان Muhadarat fi Tarikh al Adyan ("Lectures on the History of Religions")". Bulletin of the Faculty of Arts (in Arabic). 21 (1). Cairo University Press: 65–74. May 1959.
  • "On the Raison d'Etre of the Ummah". Islamic Studies. 2 (2): 159–203.
  • "(نظریات اسلامی دولت) Nazariyat Islami Dawlat". Chiragh-i-Rah (in Urdu) (Nazariyat Pakistan Number): 383–389. December 1960., "The Nature of the Islamic State". The Voice of Islam. 9 (4): 169–177. January 1961.
  • "History of Religions: Its Nature and Significance for Christian Education and the Muslim-Christian Dialogue". Numen: International Review for the History of Religions. 12 (2): 81–86., Professor Bernard E. Meland. "In Response to Dr. Faruqi". Numen. 12 (2): 87–95.
  • "Al Nazzam". Encyclopedia Britannica. 11.
  • "Pakistan and the Islamic Imperative". Islamic Literature (1): 1–10. 1966.
  • "The Self in Mu'tazilah Thought". International Philosophical Quarterly. 101 (3): 366–388. September 1966., P.T. Raju; Albury Castell, eds. (1968). "The Self in Mu'tazilah Thought". East-West Studies on the Problem of the Self. M. Nijhoff: 87–107.
  • "Science and Traditional Values in Islamic Society". Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. 11 (3): 231–246. September 1967., W. Morehouse, ed. (1968). "Science and Traditional Values in Islamic Society". Science and the Human Condition in India and Pakistan. The Rockefeller University Press.
  • "Islam and Christianity: Prospects for Dialogue". The Sacred Heart Messenger: 29–33. September 1967.
  • "Islam and Christianity: Diatribe or Dialogue". Journal of Ecumenical Studies. 5 (1): 45–77. 1968.
  • James P. Cotter, ed. (1976). "Islam and Christianity: Problems and Perspectives". The Word in the Third World. Washington–Cleveland: Corpus Books: 159–181.
  • "The Problem of the Metaphysical Status of Values in the Western and Islamic Traditions". Studia Islamica. 28: 29–62.
  • Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (Spring 1969). "The Ideal Social Order in the Arab World, 1800–1968". Journal of Church and State. 11 (2): 239–251. doi:10.1093/jcs/11.2.239.
  • "Forward: Six Basic Economic Principles in Islam". Proceedings of the Third East Coast Regional Conference. Gary, IN: Muslim Students' Association: 1–8. 1968.
  • "The Challenge of Western Ideas for Islam". Islamic Literature: 1–6. September 1969.
  • "Misconceptions of the Nature of the Work of Art in Islam". Islam and the Modern Age. 1 (1): 29–44. May 1970., "On the Nature of the Work of Art in Islam". Islam and the Modern Age. 1 (2): 68–81. August 1970.
  • "Islam and Art". Studia Islamica. 37: 81–109. 1973.
  • "Introduction". Proceedings of the Third National Seminar of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists. Gary, IN: Association of Muslim Social Scientists: v–ix. 1974.
  • Al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. (1973). "The Essence of Religious Experience in Islam". Numen. 20 (3): 186–201. doi:10.1163/156852773X00367.
  • "Internal Dynamics of the Muslim Community". Al-Ittihad. 12 (3): 2–7. Summer 1975.
  • "الأساس المشترك بين الإسلام والمسيحية Al-Asās al-Mushtarak bayna al-Islām wa al-Masīḥīyah". Al 'Ilm Wa al Imam (in Arabic) (6): 64–87. 1396–1976.
  • "Al Muslimun fi Amrika". Majallah al Buhuth al Islamiyah (in Arabic). 1 (2): 590–593. 1976.
  • "المسلمون في أمريكا Al-Muslimūn fī Amrīkā". Al Shabab al 'Arabi (in Arabic): 3. November 1, 1976., "Islam wa al Muslimun fi Amrika". Al Shabab al 'Arabi (in Arabic): 34. November 8, 1976., "Islam wa al Muslimun fi Amrika". Al Shabab al 'Arabi (in Arabic): 34. November 15, 1976., "Islam wa al Muslimun fi Amrika". Al Shabab al 'Arabi (in Arabic): 11. November 22, 1976.
  • "The Muslim-Christian Dialogue: A Constructionist View". Islam and the Modern Age. 8 (1): 5–36. February 1977.
  • "Adapting the Qur'an!". Impact International. 7 (4): 10–11. February–March 1977.
  • "Moral Values in Medicine and Science". Biosciences Communications. 3 (1). 1977.
  • "الاجتهاد والإجماع كطرفي الديناميكية في الإسلام Al Ijtihad wa al Ijma' ka Tarafay al Dinamikiyah fi al Islam". Al Muslim al Mu'asir (in Arabic) (9): 5–18. March 1977.
  • "Islam and the Social Sciences". Al-Ittihad. 14 (1–2): 38–40. January–April 1977.
  • "أبعاد العبادات في الإسلام Ab'ad al Ibadat fi al Islam". Al Muslim al Mu'asir (in Arabic) (10): 25–38. 1977.
  • "Central Asia Report: Muslims Survive". Impact International: 14–15. October 1977.
  • Altaf Gauhar, ed. (1978). "Islam and Other Faiths". The Challenge of Islam. Islamic Council of Europe: 82–111.
  • "Islam and Architecture". The Muslim Scientist. 7 (1–2): 14–22. March–June 1978.
  • "Our Moral Dilemma". The Voice of Islam. 8 (5): 9–11. February 1978.
  • "Über das Wesen der Islamischen Da'wa". Al-lslam (in German) (2/77): 2–8.
  • "نحن والغرب Nahnu wa al Gharb (We and the West)". Al Muslim al Mu'asir (in Arabic) (11): 21–35. July 1977.
  • "On The Nature of Islamic Da'wah". March 10, 2010. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  • "Commentaries on Christian Missions in the Muslim World". International Review of Mission. 65 (260): 391–400, 385–460. October 1976.
  • "On the Metaphysics of Ethics in Islam". Listening: Journal of Culture and Religion. 14 (1): 25–43. Winter 1979.
  • Khurshid Ahmad and Z. Ansari, ed. (1979). "Is the Muslim Definable in Terms of His Economic Pursuits?". Islamic Perspectives: Essays in Honor of A. A. Mawdudi. The Islamic Foundation: 183–193.
  • "Divine Transcendence: Its Expression in Christianity and Islam". World Faiths. 107: 11–19. Spring 1979.
  • "Islamic Renaissance in Contemporary Society". Al Ittihad. 15 (4): 15–23. October 1978.
  • "المرأة المسلمة Al Mar'ah al Muslimah". Al Islam (in Arabic). 23 (1–2): 84–90. 1979. Muharram–Safar 1399
  • "Islamizing the Social Sciences". Studies in Islam. 16 (2): 108–121. April 1979.
  • "Islam and the Tehran Hostages". The Wall Street Journal: 24. November 28, 1979.
  • Al-Faruqi, Isma'il (Summer 1979). "Rights of Non-Muslims under Islam: Social and Cultural Aspects". Journal of the Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. 1 (1): 90–102. doi:10.1080/02666957908715785.
  • "Controversy over the Moon". Voice of Islam. 11 (1): 3–5. March 1980.
  • "Siyaghah al 'Ulum al Ijtima'iyah Siyaghah Islamiyah". Al Muslim al Mu'asir (in Arabic). 20: 25–41. October–December 1979.
  • Islamic Council of Europe, ed. (1980). "The Islamic Faith". Jerusalem: The Key to World Peace. Longman: 77–105.
  • "Stream of Ideas Flows into Social Sciences". The Times Educational Supplement. London: 39. September 5, 1980.
  • Warren Lewis (ed.). "The Role of Islam in Global Interreligious Dependence". Towards a Global Congress of the World's Religions. Barrytown, NY: Unification Theological Seminary: 19–38.
  • "Humanitarian and Egalitarian Aspects of Islamic Law". Arab Perspectives. 1 (6): 6–10. September 1980.
  • "Islamic Ideals in North America". SIM News Bulletin. 4 (2–3): 23–26. February 1981., "Islamic Ideals in North America". SIM News Bulletin. 4 (4): 9–14.
  • "Umat Islam — Cabaran-cabaran Pemikiran Kini". Diskusi (in Malay). 5 (12): 2–5. December 1980.
  • "Universiti Negara Membangun — Kearah Mana?". Panji Masyarakat (in Malay). Malaysia: 5–9. December 1980.
  • "The Living Reality of Faith". Today's World. 1 (4). New York, USA: Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC). December 1980.
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Further reading

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  • Quraishi, M. Tariq (1986). Ismail al-Faruqi: An Enduring Legacy. Plainfield, IN: Muslim Students Association of the U.S.A. and Canada. OCLC 63933715.
  • Shafiq, Muhammad (1994). Growth of Islamic Thought in North America: Focus on Isma'il Raji al Faruqi. Brentwood, MD: Amana Publications. ISBN 9780915957163. OCLC 30154345.
  • Fletcher, Charles (2014). Muslim-Christian Engagement in the Twentieth Century: The Principles of Inter-faith Dialogue and the Work of Ismail Al-Faruqi. London, UK: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9780857738288. OCLC 1030941522.
  • Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi (2023). Life and Work of Prof. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi. New Delhi, India: Institute of Objective Studies. ISBN 9789391659387. OCLC 1378474036.
  • Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851681337. OCLC 37537981.
  • Yusuf, Imtiyaz (2012). Islam and Knowledge: Al Faruqi's Concept of Religion in Islamic Thought. London: I. B. Tauris. ISBN 9780857731265. OCLC 851315602.
  • Yusuf, Imtiyaz (2019). "Isma'il al Faruqi: The Link Between Tudor and the Muslim World". In Leonard Swidler (ed.). Breakthrough to Dialogue: The Story of Temple University Department of Religion. iPub Global Connection. pp. 179–199. ISBN 9781948575225.
  • Esposito, John L.; Voll, John O. (2001). "Isma'il Raji al Faruqi". Makers of Contemporary Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195141283. OCLC 320902828.
  • Siddiqui, Ataullah (1997). Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Twentieth Century. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Ltd. ISBN 0333673581.
  • Ghamari-Tabrizi, Behrooz (2004). "Loving America and Longing for Home: Isma'il al-Faruqi and the Emergence of the Muslim Diaspora in North America". International Migration. 42 (2): 62–86. doi:10.1111/j.0020-7985.2004.00281.x.
  • Fazlur Rahman (1990). "Palestine and My Experiences with the Young Faruqi: 1958 to 1963". Journal of Islamic Research (in Turkish). 4 (4). Translated by M. Hayri Kırbaşoğlu: 295–300.
  • Yusuf, Imtiyaz (Spring–Summer 2014). "Ismail al-Faruqi's Contribution to the Academic Study of Religion". Islamic Studies. 53 (1/2). Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad: 99–115. JSTOR 44627369.
  • Mukhetdinov, D. V. (2018). "Philosophy of Ismail Raji al-Faruqi: In Search of Neomodernism". Islam in the Modern World (in Russian). 2: 165–182. doi:10.22311/2074-1529-2018-14-2-165-182.
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