Ismail al-Faruqi

Isma'il al-Faruqi
إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي
Official portrait, c. 1980
Born	(1921-01-01)1 January 1921 Jaffa, Mandatory Palestine
Died	27 May 1986(1986-05-27) (aged 65) Wyncote, Pennsylvania, United States
Cause of death	Murder by stabbing
Resting place	Forest Hills Cemetery, Pennsylvania 40.1303°N 75.0253°W / 40.1303; -75.0253
Nationality	Palestine United States
Spouse	Lois Lamya al-Faruqi ​ ​ (m. 1951; died 1986)​
Children	5
Academic background
Education	American University of Beirut (BA) Indiana University (MA, PhD) Harvard University (MA) Al-Azhar University
Academic work
Discipline	Philosophy
Sub-discipline	Comparative religion, Islamic studies
Institutions	McGill University Central Institute of Islamic Research University of Chicago Syracuse University Temple University
Main interests	Islam Arabism Judaism Anti-Zionism Christianity
Notable works	Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of its Dominant Ideas (1967) Islam and the Problem of Israel (1980) Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life (1982) The Cultural Atlas of Islam (co-authored with Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, 1986)
Notable ideas	Meta-religion Islamization of knowledge Urubah (Arabism) Revival of ijtihad
Website	ismailfaruqi.com
Signature

Ismail Raji al-Faruqi (Arabic: إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي, romanized: Ismāʿīl 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), exploring themes of Islamic thought, ethics, and monotheism.

Early life and education

Al-Faruqi was born in Jaffa, in British-mandate Palestine. 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. In 1936, he began attending the French Dominican Collège des Frères de Jaffa.

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. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, al-Faruqi emigrated to Beirut, Lebanon, where he studied at the American University of Beirut. At the American University of Beirut, 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. The academic environment at AUB included compulsory attendance of Christian missionary lectures and courses promoting Western modernity, which influenced his ideological development. He later 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. 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. 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. His early philosophical work laid the groundwork for his later critiques of Western ethical systems and his development of Islamic ethical thought. 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.

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. 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.

Academic career

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. During this time, he studied Christian theology and Judaism, becoming acquainted with Pakistani philosopher Fazlur Rahman. 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.

In 1961, 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. 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.

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. During his tenure at Temple University, al-Faruqi mentored many students, including his first doctoral student, John Esposito.

Philosophy and thought

Early thought: Arabism

Main article: Urubah and Religion

Al-Faruqi's early intellectual focus centered on ‘urubah (Arabism). 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.

Al-Faruqi saw ‘urubah as inseparable from Muslim identity, encompassing both linguistic and religious dimensions. His concept of Arabism emphasized that Islam and monotheism were contributions of Arab consciousness to humanity, challenging modern race-based nationalism. Al-Faruqi asserted that reviving Islamic civilization required restoring the Arabic language and culture as central elements for fostering the cultural and religious unity of Muslims.

Al-Faruqi also highlighted tawhid (monotheism) as a defining feature of Arab religious consciousness, linking it to the shared monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He emphasized that Islam and monotheism, as gifts of Arab consciousness, contrasted with modern nationalist ideologies.

However, some scholars criticized al-Faruqi's stance as essentialist and overly Arab-centric. Critics, including non-Arab Muslim intellectuals, challenged his assertion that Arabic was the only suitable linguistic structure for Islamic thought. His exposure to diverse Muslim cultures during his time in Pakistan initially did little to shift his Arab-centric views.

Shift to Islamism

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

Al-Faruqi's perspectives evolved significantly after relocating to the United States. His involvement with the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Temple University exposed him to diverse Muslim students, leading him to reconsider his earlier focus on Arabism. He began to prioritize a broader Islamic identity over Arab nationalism, 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". Reflecting further on his identity, he remarked, "I asked myself: Who am I? A Palestinian, a philosopher, a liberal humanist? My answer was: I am a Muslim".

He explored the historical presence and impact of Muslims in the New World, highlighting the early settlement of African Muslims, the challenges they faced during slavery, and the subsequent waves of Muslim immigration. Al-Faruqi discussed the roles of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X in shaping the Islamic movement among African Americans. His insights into the ethical framework of Islam, the concept of Ummah, and the responsibilities of Muslim immigrants have been influential in framing the Muslim experience in North America.

This engagement also influenced his approach to interfaith dialogue, where he saw the importance of a unified Islamic identity to foster meaningful conversations with non-Muslims. His involvement in the MSA and encounters with diverse Muslim cultures in the United States reinforced his broader Islamic identity over his earlier Arab-centric views.

Views on Tawhid

Main article: Tawhid

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

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. 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.

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. 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". 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."

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

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. 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.

Meta-religion

Main article: Meta-religion

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 the idea of a shared, intrinsic belief in the One God, which he argued represents the original "pure form of faith" predating the diversification of religions. Meta-religion, as Al-Faruqi envisioned, is distinct from historical religion, focusing on universal principles rooted in fitrah (natural religion) as a basis for mutual understanding and interfaith cooperation.

Within this framework, din al-fitrah is understood as 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

Comparative religion

Main article: Comparative religion

Al-Faruqi’s work in comparative religion aimed to develop an approach that underscored respectful engagement among faith traditions. He explored both philosophical contrasts and convergences between Islam and Christianity, particularly in their interpretations of Hebrew scripture. His studies addressed differing hermeneutical methods and theological frameworks, aiming to uncover values that could support interfaith dialogue without undermining doctrinal distinctions. Al-Faruqi suggested that a historical study of religions could offer a foundation for communication by recognizing shared principles alongside distinctive beliefs.

Beyond theology, his comparative analysis included ethical and metaphysical issues that reveal differences in value systems across Western and Islamic perspectives. Al-Faruqi posited that these distinct value frameworks shape each tradition’s broader views on morality, existence, and purpose.

Islamization of knowledge

Main article: Islamization of knowledge

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. 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. Al-Faruqi emphasized the integration of Islamic values within modern knowledge systems to help preserve the ethical fabric of the Muslim community.

The later part of Al-Faruqi's career concentrated on the Islamization of knowledge concept. 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. This concept included economic principles such as zakat and prohibitions on usury to ensure that economic activity aligned with Islamic ethics. His ideas eventually led to the founding of IIIT, which aimed to create an Islamic epistemology and methodology applicable across disciplines.

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. He envisioned a unified Islamic curriculum that incorporated contemporary disciplines while firmly grounding them in Islamic thought. 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.

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." Despite Al-Faruqi’s goal to Islamize Western knowledge, Kalin asserts, his focus "was exclusively on the humanities, leaving scientific knowledge virtually untouched." This omission, Kalin argues, led to unintended consequences: "First, [al-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."

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.

Critique of Zionism

Main article: Anti-Zionism

Al-Faruqi was a vocal critic of Zionism, viewing it as incompatible with Judaism due to its nationalist ideology. He argued that the injustices caused by Zionism necessitated its dismantling. 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. 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.

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.

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

Scholarly achievements

Al-Faruqi contributed to Islamic studies through his writings and involvement in academic and interfaith organizations. He authored over 100 articles in scholarly journals and magazines and published 25 books, 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). His works addressed a wide range of topics, including ethics, theology, interfaith dialogue, and the integration of Islamic thought into contemporary academic disciplines.

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.

In 1973, al-Faruqi established the Islamic Studies Group in the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and chaired it for ten years. 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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

In 1980, Ismail al-Faruqi co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) with Taha Jabir Alalwani, Abdul Hamid AbuSulayman, and Anwar Ibrahim.

Also, al-Faruqi was involved in interfaith dialogue, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among religious communities. His efforts aimed to foster a global environment of peace and respect, highlighting the commonalities between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

Contemporary relevance

Al-Faruqi's ideas on the Islamization of knowledge continue to influence contemporary Islamic thought. 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. The concept of Islamization has inspired curriculum development in universities such as the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the International Islamic University, Islamabad.

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. His framework has been influential in global efforts to promote peace and cooperation across religious divides.

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 comprehensively understand spiritual traditions and their civilizational significance.

Additionally, al-Faruqi's scholarly works, such as Christian Ethics and Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths, 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.

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

Death

Main article: Murder of the Faruqis

Shared grave of the Faruqis.

In May 1986, al-Faruqi and his wife were murdered at their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, by Joseph Louis Young, also known as Yusuf Ali. Young confessed to the crime, was sentenced to death, and died in prison of natural causes in 1996. The attack also left their daughter, Anmar al-Zein, severely injured but she survived after extensive medical treatment. Various theories have been suggested regarding the motivations behind the murders, including a botched burglary and politically motivated assassination. During a conference at the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2008, it was revealed that al-Faruqi's father had made special supplications for him to become a great scholar and to die as a martyr (shahīd), which were ultimately fulfilled.

See also

• Lois Lamya al-Faruqi
• Islamization of knowledge
• International Institute of Islamic Thought
• List of Islamic scholars

Bibliography

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

• 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

Main category: Books by Ismail al-Faruqi

In English

• '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

• 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.
• Al Milal al Mu'asirah fi al Din al Yahudi (Contemporary Sects in Judaism) (in Arabic). Cairo: Institute of Higher Arabic Studies. 1968.

In the press

• 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

• 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

• Ataullah Siddiqui, ed. (2007). Islam and Other Faiths. Islamic Foundation. ISBN 9780860372769.
• Imtiyaz Yusuf, ed. (2012). Islam: Religion, Practice, Culture & World Order. London: IIIT. ISBN 9781565645875.
• International Institute of Islamic Thought, ed. (2018). Isma'il Al Faruqi: Selected Essays. London, Washington: IIIT. ISBN 9781565645981.
• Imtiyaz Yusuf, ed. (2021). Essential Writings: Ismail Al Faruqi. Kuala Lumpur: IBT Books. ISBN 9789670526928.

Articles

• "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.
• "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.
• "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.
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Additional reading

• Quraishi, M. Tariq (1986). Ismail al-Faruqi: An Enduring Legacy. Plainfield, IN: Muslim Students Association of the U.S.A. and Canada. OCLC 63933715.
• 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.
• 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.
• Siddiqui, Ataullah (1997). Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Twentieth Century. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press Ltd. ISBN 0333673581.
• Zebiri, Kate (1997). Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1851681337. OCLC 37537981.
• Esposito, John; Voll, John (2001). Makers of Contemporary Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195141283. OCLC 320902828.
• 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.
• 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 (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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2023). Life and Work of Prof. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi. New Delhi, India: Institute of Objective Studies. ISBN 9789391659387. OCLC 1378474036.

External links

• Ismail Faruqi Online Archived February 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Website on the life and works of Dr. Isma'il al Faruqi
• Works by Ismail al-Faruqi in Open Library, Internet Archive