Dr. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi’s Study of Religions (With Special Focus on Christianity) - ( Part Three)

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 6 August 2025 Dr. Ismail Raji al-Faruqi was a distinguished Islamic scholar known for his pioneering work in comparative religion, especially in the context of Christianity. Educated in Western missionary schools and Islamic institutions like Al-Azhar, he deeply analyzed Christianity's theology, ethics, and scriptures. He emphasized interfaith dialogue and believed understanding Christianity was vital for Muslim intellectual and missionary efforts. Al-Faruqi adopted an objective and philosophical approach, highlighting the theological differences and shared values between Islam and Christianity. His respectful and analytical style promoted religious harmony, encouraging Muslims to engage academically rather than defensively. His legacy remains a model for interreligious understanding. Main Points: 1. Studied Christianity deeply through Western and Islamic academic institutions. 2. Emphasized interfaith dialogue based on knowledge and mutual respect. 3. Critically analysed Trinity and Christian view of Jesus Christ. 4. Highlighted Bible's textual issues compared to Qur'an's preservation. 5. Advocated respectful coexistence through comparative religious philosophy. 6. Promoted scholarly study of religions to counter misconceptions peacefully. ------ Dr. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi developed a unique and structured method for studying religions and different ideologies. His approach was special because he directly studied Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths, rather than relying on secondhand sources. He worked very hard in the field of religious studies, observed its various dimensions, and introduced a new direction for its academic study. He trained a generation of scholars and made this field accessible, which was previously limited to Eastern and Western Orientalists. Through comparative studies, he achieved significant success and made noteworthy contributions. Reasons Behind His Interest in Christianity: Dr. Al-Faruqi studied Christianity along with other religions. A key reason for his interest was that he was educated in Catholic Christian schools. This early exposure allowed him to deeply study Christian beliefs and ideas. Later, during his time at the American University of Beirut, he studied Western philosophy. He also taught a course titled "A Comparative Study of Islam and Western Thought" for four years. He taught courses on the comparative study of Islam and other religions and had deep knowledge of Jewish and Christian beliefs. He conducted extensive research in comparative religion and authored several books. His work was not limited to classroom teaching—he also promoted interfaith dialogue and actively participated in discussions with leading religious scholars of the world. He believed that true interfaith dialogue is not possible without a deep academic and intellectual understanding of the study of religions. Dr. Al-Faruqi started his educational journey at an American missionary school, which introduced him to Christian thought and Western philosophy. His academic journey began with the study of Christian religious and moral philosophy, and he completed his PhD on this subject, focusing on natural religion and ethics. He later studied Islam directly at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, where he spent four years comparing Islam with Judaism and Christianity. His study was deep and comprehensive, aiming to find harmony and shared values between Islam and other religions. In the study of religions, Dr. Al-Faruqi played a significant role. He learned from experts of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, whether they were from schools, churches, or religious seminaries. He carefully studied religious texts, their translations, and analyzed them critically. His research was based on truth and depth, adopting a method of accepting truth and rejecting falsehood. His Method and Philosophy: What made Dr. Al-Faruqi special was his thoughtful, research-based, and comparative approach to studying religions. He aimed to understand the philosophy of religion on a purely academic basis, exploring beliefs deeply to distinguish truth from falsehood. A major part of his academic life focused on comparative religion, where he logically and objectively analysed Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths. Some important reasons for his interest in Christianity are as follows: He believed Islam and Christianity share historical, cultural, and religious connections. Therefore, he saw studying Christianity as a religious, intellectual, and missionary responsibility of the Muslim community. He was born in Palestine, where Christianity has a long historical presence. Later, he moved to the United States, where he directly engaged with Western (mostly Christian) thought. He realized that understanding Christianity was essential to improving relations between Islam and the West. He believed that for effective Islamic preaching (Da’wah), Muslims must have deep knowledge of Christianity’s beliefs, philosophy, and history. He studied Christian thinkers like Thomas Aquinas and Paul Tillich to present Islamic viewpoints effectively in comparative religion. Christianity became an important subject in his research because it is one of the world’s largest religions. He deeply studied Christian texts to clear misunderstandings in the West about Islam. He pointed out contradictions in Christianity and, through academic analysis, explained the logical foundations of Islam. He didn’t just criticize Christianity—he studied it fairly and looked for common grounds for dialogue. His Views on Christianity: After this introduction, let’s look at Dr. Al-Faruqi’s key thoughts on Christianity: 1. Trinity vs. Tawhid: He believed that the Christian concept of the Trinity (God in three persons) was not compatible with the Islamic concept of Tawhid (oneness of God). He considered it logically confusing and inconsistent with the pure monotheism of Islam. 2. Jesus Christ (Isa a.s.): He analyzed the historical figure of Jesus and reviewed his life and mission from the Islamic perspective. He questioned the historical truth of some Christian stories and highlighted the Islamic understanding of Jesus as a prophet. 3. Bible vs. Quran: He studied the authenticity and preservation of the Bible and compared it with the Quran. He argued that the Quran has remained unchanged, whereas the Bible has undergone many translations and alterations. 4. Prophets in Islam vs. Christianity: He compared the roles of prophets in both religions and emphasized the finality of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Islam. 5. Salvation (Najat): He highlighted the Islamic concept of salvation through belief in God and good deeds, as opposed to the Christian idea of salvation through atonement (crucifixion). 6. Mary (Maryam a.s.): He compared the status of Mary in both traditions, showing respect in both but also highlighting differences in interpretation. 7. Images and Idolatry: He analyzed the role of religious images and statues in Christianity and criticized such practices from an Islamic perspective, which strictly forbids image worship. 8. Academic and Philosophical Approach: His study of Christianity was deep and academic. He wrote research papers and books explaining Christian beliefs to encourage respectful interfaith dialogue. His famous book "The Cultural Atlas of Islam" is strong proof of this approach. 9. Bible Analysis: He examined the Bible’s historical background and used tools of modern biblical criticism, especially concerning the New Testament. 10. Jesus in a Reconciliatory Tone: He presented Jesus respectfully as a prophet and tried to explain Christian beliefs in a way that could support interfaith understanding. His books like "Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life" reflect this effort. 11. Interfaith Dialogue: He actively participated in academic discussions with scholars of various religions. His book "Islam and Other Faiths" is clear evidence of this. Conclusion: Dr. Al-Faruqi’s approach to studying Christianity was both objective and logical. Whatever he said was based on reason and evidence. His thoughts on religions were scholarly and research-based. Today, we need this same approach in religious discourse to create positive and constructive effects in society. Unfortunately, most people today, across all religions, lack objectivity and logic when discussing other faiths. They sometimes disrespect other religions to glorify their own. But Dr. Al-Faruqi avoided such attitudes. His writings reflect balance and respect for all religions. Remember: Respecting religions means honouring the beliefs, rituals, sacred symbols, and sentiments of all religions and their followers. For peaceful coexistence among people with different beliefs, this respect is essential. It promotes harmony, mutual understanding, and peace in individuals, societies, nations, and the world. This is the very philosophy that Dr. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi promoted through his life and work. Earlier Articles: Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi’s Study of Religions - (Part One) Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi’s Study of Religions - (Part Two) ----- Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi is an Author and Columnist URL: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/ismail-raji-faruqi-religions-christianity--part-three/d/136416 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism