Professor John L. Esposito, an internationally respected scholar of Islam and interfaith relations, has died at the age of 86, bringing to a close a distinguished academic career dedicated to the study of Islam and Muslim societies.
A Distinguished Professor of Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown University, Esposito earned global recognition for his research, teaching and writing on Islam, Muslim and Western relations, and interfaith dialogue. Over several decades, he authored, edited and contributed to numerous books that shaped academic discussion and public understanding of Islam.
Esposito completed his doctoral studies under the guidance of renowned Islamic scholar Isma’il Raji al-Faruqi. His published works included Shariah: What Everyone Needs to Know, Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, Religion and Violence, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, The Future of Islam, and Islamophobia: The Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century.
He also served as editor-in-chief of major Oxford reference publications, including The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, The Oxford History of Islam, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, and Oxford Islamic Studies Online.
Esposito founded the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. Through the centre, he promoted research and dialogue on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations.
His leadership extended across academic institutions. He served as president of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, the American Academy of Religion, and the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies. He also held advisory roles with the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the World Economic Forum, and the European Network of Experts on De-Radicalisation.
His work earned several honours, including the Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion, Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Award for Outstanding Contributions in Islamic Studies, and Georgetown University’s Outstanding Teaching Award.
