Ismaʿil Raji al-Faruqi (/ɪsˈmɑːɪlˈrɑːdʒiːˌælˈfɑːruːkiː/; Arabic: إسماعيل راجي الفاروقي "Ismāʿīl Rājī al-Fārūqī"ⓘ; January 1, 1921 – May 27, 1986) was a Palestinian-American Muslim philosopher and scholar who worked extensively in Islamic studies and interfaith dialogue.

[7] The academic environment at AUB included compulsory attendance of Christian missionary lectures and courses promoting Western modernity, which influenced his ideological development.

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.

[5] 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.

[27] 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).

[8] 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.

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.

[31] 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.

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.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

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.

[28] 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.

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.

[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.

[1][28] 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.

[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.

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.

He characterized it as "naked robbery by force of arms," accompanied by indiscriminate violence against civilians: Its plan was to empty Palestine of its native inhabitants and to occupy their lands, farms, homes, and all movable properties.

[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.

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.

He authored over 100 articles in scholarly journals and magazines and published 25 influential books,[8] 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.

[42][66] In 1980, Ismail al-Faruqi co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)[6] 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] Additionally, al-Faruqi's scholarly works, such as Christian Ethics[72] and Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths,[73] continue to serve as key resources in interfaith dialogue and comparative religion studies.