# Ismail al-Faruqi

> Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar (1921–1986)

**Wikidata**: [Q3595661](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3595661)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismail_al-Faruqi)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ismail-al-faruqi

## Summary

Ismail al-Faruqi was born on January 1, 1921, in Jaffa[1][2] and died on May 27, 1986, in Wyncote[1][3]. A philosopher and university teacher[4], he practiced Islam and was married to Lois Lamya al-Faruqi[4][5].He was educated at Harvard University, Al-Azhar University, Indiana University Bloomington, and the American University of Beirut[6]. From 1968 until his death in 1986, he taught at Temple University[7][6]; earlier appointments included McGill University (1958–1961), Syracuse University (1964–1967), and the Institute of Islamic Research (1961–1963)[7][6].His notable works include The Cultural Atlas of Islam, Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas, 'Urubah and Religion: A Study of the Fundamental Ideas of Arabism and of Islam as its Highest Moment of Consciousness, Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life, Islam and the Problem of Israel, Islamization of Knowledge: General Principles and Work Plan, and one additional title[8]. He died from stabbing[5].

## Summary
Ismail al-Faruqi (1921–1986) was a Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to Islamic thought, comparative religion, and academic scholarship. A university teacher affiliated with major institutions in the United States and Canada, he is recognized for bridging Islamic intellectual traditions with Western philosophical discourse and for authoring multiple influential academic works.

## Biography
- Born: January 1, 1921, in Mandatory Palestine (British-administered League of Nations Mandate, 1920–1948)
- Died: May 27, 1986, in the United States
- Nationality: Palestinian-American (citizenship: United States and Mandatory Palestine)
- Education: Al-Azhar University (public university in Cairo, Egypt, founded c. 970 CE), American University of Beirut (private university in Lebanon, founded 1866), Indiana University Bloomington (public research university, flagship of Indiana University system, founded 1820), Harvard University (private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded 1636)
- Occupation: Philosopher, university teacher
- Employer(s): Temple University (public research university in Philadelphia, founded 1884), University of Chicago (private university, founded 1890), Syracuse University (private university in Syracuse, New York, founded 1870), McGill University (English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, founded 1821), and other affiliated institutions
- Field(s): Philosophy, Islamic studies, comparative religion
- Aliases: Ismail al Faruqi, Isma'il Ragi al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. al-Faruqi, Isma'il al Faruqi, Ismael Faruki, Faruqi, Isma'il Ragi A., Faruqi, Isma'il R. Al-

## Contributions
Ismail al-Faruqi authored several notable academic works cataloged in library and scholarly databases. His published works include those referenced under bibliographic identifiers Q107564635, Q127488952, Q127502264, Q127561103, Q127580440, Q129642264, and Q131150135, spanning topics in Islamic philosophy and religious studies. As a university teacher, he contributed to the academic study of Islam and philosophy at multiple major research institutions across North America, helping to develop and sustain these fields within Western higher education. His work engaged with both classical Islamic thought and contemporary philosophical questions, and he maintained an active scholarly profile evidenced by his extensive cataloging in international authority files.

## FAQs

**Who was Ismail al-Faruqi?**
He was a Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar who lived from 1921 to 1986, known for his work in Islamic philosophy and comparative religion.

**Where was Ismail al-Faruqi born?**
He was born on January 1, 1921, in Mandatory Palestine, a territory under British administration as a League of Nations Mandate from 1920 to 1948.

**Where did Ismail al-Faruqi receive his education?**
He studied at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, Indiana University Bloomington, and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

**What universities employed Ismail al-Faruqi?**
He held positions at Temple University in Philadelphia, the University of Chicago, Syracuse University in New York, McGill University in Montreal, and other institutions.

**How did Ismail al-Faruqi die?**
He was murdered on May 27, 1986, in the United States, in an event documented as the Murder of the Faruqis, which targeted Islamic scholars.

**What are Ismail al-Faruqi's notable academic works?**
He authored multiple cataloged works in Islamic philosophy and related fields, listed under bibliographic identifiers including Q107564635, Q127488952, Q127502264, Q127561103, Q127580440, Q129642264, and Q131150135.

## Why They Matter
Ismail al-Faruqi occupies a critical position in the development of Islamic philosophy and comparative religion as academic disciplines in North America. By holding faculty positions at prominent research universities—including Temple University, the University of Chicago, Syracuse University, and McGill University—he helped institutionalize the serious academic study of Islam within Western higher education. His scholarly output, preserved across numerous library and cataloging systems worldwide, contributed to bridging Islamic intellectual traditions and Western philosophical frameworks. The Murder of the Faruqis in 1986, which claimed his life, underscored the high stakes of his intellectual and community engagements and drew attention to the vulnerabilities of prominent Muslim scholars in the West. His work continues to be referenced in academic databases, library authority files, and scholarly networks, indicating an enduring influence on the study of Islam and interfaith dialogue.

## Notable For
- Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar (1921–1986)
- University teacher at Temple University, University of Chicago, Syracuse University, and McGill University
- Educated at Al-Azhar University, American University of Beirut, Indiana University Bloomington, and Harvard University
- Author of multiple notable academic works cataloged under identifiers Q107564635, Q127488952, Q127502264, Q127561103, Q127580440, Q129642264, and Q131150135
- Subject and victim of the Murder of the Faruqis (1986)
- Recorded in major authority files: Library of Congress (n82029267), VIAF (79070310), ISNI (0000000118845237), and multiple national library catalogs
- Held dual identity rooted in Mandatory Palestine and the United States
- Arabic name: إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي, with IPA pronunciation [ʔisˈmæːʔiːl ˈɾaːdʒiː ɪl.fɑːˈɾuːqiː]
- Grave and tombstone documented photographically in archival records
- Signature preserved as Ismail al Faruqi Signature.svg

## Body

### Origins and Early Life
Ismail al-Faruqi was born on January 1, 1921, in Mandatory Palestine. This territory was a League of Nations Mandate under British administration, established in July 1920 and lasting until 1948. His origins in this politically complex region shaped his intellectual engagement with questions of identity, religion, and colonialism throughout his career.

### Education
Al-Faruqi's educational trajectory spanned multiple countries and institutional traditions. He studied at Al-Azhar University, one of the oldest universities in the world, a public institution in Cairo, Egypt, with origins tracing to approximately 970 CE. He also attended the American University of Beirut, a private institution in Lebanon founded in 1866. In the United States, he was educated at Indiana University Bloomington, the flagship campus of the Indiana University system established in 1820, and at Harvard University, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 1636. This cross-section of Islamic and Western educational institutions informed his approach to comparative scholarship.

### Academic Career and Institutional Affiliations
Al-Faruqi built his career as a university teacher across several prominent North American research institutions:

- **Temple University**: A public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1884. Temple is classified as a doctoral university with very high research activity and had approximately 37,367 students and an endowment of $778,415,240 as of June 30, 2022.
- **University of Chicago**: A private university in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1890, known for its rigorous intellectual traditions.
- **Syracuse University**: A private university in Syracuse, New York, founded on March 24, 1870, with approximately 5,578 employees.
- **McGill University**: An English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, founded in 1821.

These affiliations placed al-Faruqi within major research environments and connected him to broad academic networks in both the United States and Canada.

### Scholarly Output
Al-Faruqi's contributions as a philosopher centered on Islamic thought, comparative religion, and the intersection of faith traditions with philosophical inquiry. His notable works, cataloged in academic databases, include those identified by the following bibliographic references: Q107564635, Q127488952, Q127502264, Q127561103, Q127580440, Q129642264, and Q131150135. His work garnered recognition sufficient to be preserved in extensive library authority systems, including the Library of Congress (identifier n82029267), VIAF (79070310), ISNI (0000000118845237), GND (143944290), BNF (121690946), SUDOC (03023090X), and numerous other national and international cataloging agencies. His presence across more than 52 site-linked Wikipedia entries and multiple language editions attests to the breadth of his scholarly impact.

### Identity and Names
Al-Faruqi's name appears in numerous transliterated forms reflecting the complexity of rendering Arabic names in Latin script. His Arabic name is إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي, and the IPA pronunciation is given as [ʔisˈmæːʔiːl ˈɾaːdʒiː ɪl.fɑːˈɾuːqiː]. Variants include Ismail al Faruqi, Isma'il Ragi al-Faruqi, Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, Isma'il R. al-Faruqi, Isma'il al Faruqi, Ismael Faruki, and several others. His signature is preserved as an SVG file (Ismail al Faruqi Signature.svg), and his image appeared in the Kenosha News on May 28, 1986.

### Death and the Murder of the Faruqis
On May 27, 1986, Ismail al-Faruqi was killed in the United States. His death is documented as part of an event known as the Murder of the Faruqis, described as the 1986 murders of Islamic scholars in the U.S. This event is cataloged as a distinct entity in knowledge bases with five site-linked references. His grave and tombstone are documented in archival photographs (Faruqi-grave-tombstone.png).

### Legacy and Records
Al-Faruqi's scholarly presence is preserved through extensive cataloging. He holds records in dozens of authority systems, including but not limited to: ISNI, VIAF, GND, Library of Congress, BNF, SUDOC, CiNii (DA00469901), National Library of Australia (36525820), National Library of the Czech Republic, Library of Congress Name Authority File, Bibliothèque nationale de France, VIAF, and many others. His Wikidata entry (with 52 sitelinks) and Freebase identifier (/m/04grzq) further attest to his recognition in digital knowledge systems. His audio pronunciation in Arabic is preserved as a WAV file. The number of offspring is recorded as five.

## References

1. [Find a Grave](https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/135000404/ismail-raji-al_faruqi)
2. [Source](https://ismailfaruqi.com/biography/)
3. [Source](https://iiit.org/en/dr-ismail-al-faruqi/)
4. Integrated Authority File
5. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/18/us/black-muslim-charges-in-slaying-of-islamic-scholar-and-his-wife.html)
6. JSTOR
7. TDV Islamic Encyclopedia
8. International Standard Name Identifier
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. CiNii Research
11. Lingua Libre
12. AlKindi
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. [Source](https://ismailfaruqi.com/bibliography/)
15. [Source](https://pointdebasculecanada.ca/inside-the-capitol-joseph-louis-young-dies-of-natural-causes-on-death-row/)
16. The New York Times
17. IdRef
18. LIBRIS. 2010
19. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/faruki-ismail-raci)
20. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
21. Catalogo of the National Library of India