Introduction
Among the most influential Muslim thinkers of the 20th century, Ismail Raji al-Faruqi (1921–1986) stands out as a pioneering scholar whose ideas reshaped modern Islamic thought. A Palestinian-American philosopher, theologian, and educator, al-Faruqi dedicated his life to reviving the intellectual spirit of Islam and addressing what he saw as a deep epistemological crisis in the Muslim world. His central project — the “Islamization of Knowledge” — sought to integrate modern academic disciplines with Islamic worldview and values, creating a holistic framework for knowledge that would serve both faith and progress. Al-Faruqi’s vision continues to influence Muslim intellectual circles, educational reformers, and Islamic universities around the globe.
Early Life and Intellectual Formation
Ismail Raji al-Faruqi was born in Jaffa, Palestine, in 1921, during the British Mandate period. His upbringing in a devout Muslim family instilled in him both religious faith and a strong sense of Arab identity. After the creation of Israel in 1948, al-Faruqi, like many Palestinians, became a refugee and emigrated to the United States. There he pursued higher education with remarkable vigor, earning degrees from Indiana University, Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Indiana University (1952).
Al-Faruqi’s intellectual formation was marked by exposure to both Western philosophy and Islamic scholarship. He taught for a period in Canada and later joined Temple University in Philadelphia, where he served as a professor of Islamic Studies. His dual engagement with Western academic traditions and Islamic thought allowed him to develop a critical perspective on the state of Muslim education and intellectual life in the modern era.
The Crisis of Knowledge in the Muslim World
Al-Faruqi believed that the Muslim world’s decline in the modern age was not merely political or economic but epistemological — rooted in a disconnection between faith and reason. The traditional Islamic educational system, centered on religious sciences (ʿulūm al-dīn), had become isolated from modern knowledge, while secular education imported from the West had lost touch with Islamic ethics and metaphysics.
In his view, this dualism in education produced fragmented individuals: some deeply religious but intellectually disengaged from modern realities, and others technically skilled but spiritually disconnected. The result was a civilization divided between tradition and modernity, unable to offer a coherent worldview or ethical alternative to Western materialism.
Al-Faruqi’s response was not to reject modern science or knowledge, but to reconstruct it within an Islamic framework — one grounded in the unity of God (tawḥīd), the moral purpose of creation, and the holistic nature of truth.
The Concept of Islamization of Knowledge
Al-Faruqi introduced the term “Islamization of Knowledge” in the late 1970s as a comprehensive intellectual project. His goal was to redefine the foundations, objectives, and methodologies of human knowledge from within an Islamic paradigm. This project was not about adding religious slogans to existing disciplines but about transforming the epistemic assumptions that underlie them.
For al-Faruqi, knowledge should serve the moral and spiritual objectives of Islam — to promote justice, compassion, and the well-being of humanity in accordance with divine guidance. He argued that secular Western knowledge, though powerful, was often reductionist and value-neutral, treating the universe as devoid of spiritual meaning. The Islamization of knowledge, by contrast, reintroduces ethical and metaphysical dimensions, linking knowledge to human responsibility before God.
In his seminal work, “Islamization of Knowledge: General Principles and Work Plan” (1982), al-Faruqi outlined a systematic approach to the task. This included:
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Mastery of the Modern Disciplines: Muslims must study the existing sciences and humanities with full competence.
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Mastery of the Islamic Legacy: Scholars must equally engage the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the classical Islamic sciences.
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Integration: The two bodies of knowledge must be critically integrated, allowing Islamic values to guide the interpretation and application of modern disciplines.
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Creative Synthesis: New frameworks, theories, and methodologies should emerge that are both faithful to Islam and relevant to contemporary challenges.
This process, he believed, would generate an Islamic epistemology capable of revitalizing Muslim education and contributing positively to global civilization.
Institutional Vision: The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)
To realize his ideas in practice, al-Faruqi co-founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) in Herndon, Virginia, in 1981, along with scholars like AbdulHamid AbuSulayman and Taha Jabir Al-Alwani. IIIT became the institutional center for promoting the Islamization of knowledge through research, conferences, and publications.
The institute’s mission was to train a new generation of Muslim scholars who could engage modern disciplines — sociology, economics, education, psychology, and others — from within an Islamic framework. The IIIT developed curricula, sponsored translation projects, and encouraged cross-disciplinary dialogue between traditional ʿulamaʾ (religious scholars) and modern academics.
This institutionalization of al-Faruqi’s ideas marked a turning point. What began as a philosophical concept became a global intellectual movement influencing Islamic universities and research centers in Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and beyond.
Tawḥīd as the Epistemological Foundation
At the heart of al-Faruqi’s thought is the concept of tawḥīd — the oneness of God — which he saw as the ultimate organizing principle of all knowledge. Tawḥīd is not merely a theological belief but an epistemological axiom: it implies the unity of truth, the unity of humanity, and the unity of purpose in all aspects of existence.
This principle rejects both secular dualism (which separates fact from value, science from religion) and relativism (which denies universal truth). In al-Faruqi’s framework, every discipline — from physics to sociology — should reflect the unity and purposefulness of creation. Knowledge divorced from God leads to moral confusion and misuse of power; knowledge grounded in tawḥīd leads to harmony, justice, and human flourishing.
Critiques and Challenges
While al-Faruqi’s ideas inspired many, they have also faced criticism and reinterpretation. Some scholars argue that the “Islamization of knowledge” project remained too abstract or idealistic, lacking clear methods for transforming complex modern sciences. Others question whether knowledge can or should be “Islamized” at all, suggesting instead that Muslims engage critically with global knowledge without seeking to redefine it wholesale.
Nevertheless, even critics acknowledge al-Faruqi’s profound contribution in reviving the intellectual self-confidence of Muslims and stimulating debate about the relationship between Islam, modernity, and education. His project opened new conversations on curriculum reform, interdisciplinary study, and the moral purpose of scholarship.
Legacy and Continuing Influence
Tragically, Ismail al-Faruqi and his wife, Dr. Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, were murdered in their home in Pennsylvania in 1986. Yet his intellectual legacy endures through his writings, students, and institutions. IIIT continues to publish research inspired by his vision, while universities such as the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) have incorporated the Islamization of knowledge into their mission statements.
Al-Faruqi’s work also laid the groundwork for later developments, including integration of knowledge, a term some contemporary scholars prefer to emphasize harmony rather than dichotomy between Islamic and modern sciences. Regardless of terminology, the underlying goal remains the same: to create a morally and spiritually informed system of learning capable of addressing the crises of modern civilization.
Conclusion
Ismail Raji al-Faruqi stands as one of the foremost Muslim intellectuals of the modern era, a thinker who combined faith with reason and tradition with modernity. His project of Islamization of knowledge was not an attempt to retreat from modern science but a call to reclaim the moral and spiritual dimensions of learning. In an age of technological power and ethical uncertainty, his vision remains deeply relevant: that knowledge, to be truly beneficial, must be guided by values rooted in the unity of God and the service of humanity.
Through his scholarship, teaching, and institution-building, al-Faruqi offered a roadmap for intellectual renewal — one that continues to challenge Muslims to think deeply about the purposes of knowledge, the role of faith in public life, and the quest for a just and unified world.
