Ismail Raji al Faruqi (1921-1986) is widely recognised as an authority on Islam and comparative religion. A Palestinian by birth, Faruqi was the author of several books, among them Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life, Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths, Christian Ethics: A Systematic and Historical Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas, Historical Atlas of the Religions of the World and The Cultural Atlas of Islam which he co-authored with his wife Dr Lois Lamya al Faruqi.

The Faruqis fell victim to an assassin’s knife in the early hours of May 27, 1986 in their house in Philadelphia, U.S.A.