Remembering John L. Esposito (1940-2026): A Leading Scholar of Islam

The global academic and Muslim communities have lost one of the most influential and respected non-Muslim scholars of Islam with the passing of Professor John L. Esposito, who died on July 15, 2026, at the age of 86.

An American academic, professor of Middle Eastern and religious studies, and internationally recognized authority on Islam and Muslim-West relations, Professor Esposito devoted more than five decades to advancing an informed and balanced understanding of Islam. Through his scholarship, teaching, and public engagement, he challenged misconceptions about Muslims, promoted interfaith dialogue, and inspired generations of students, scholars, policymakers, and faith leaders.

Professor Esposito served as University Professor of Religion, International Affairs, and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, where he founded the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in 1993. As its founding director, he helped establish the center as one of the world's leading institutions dedicated to fostering dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation among religious communities. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly twenty years at the College of the Holy Cross, where he taught world religions, chaired the Department of Religious Studies, and directed the Center for International Studies.

A student of the renowned Islamic scholar Professor Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, Esposito became one of the most prolific Western scholars of Islam. He authored, co-authored, or edited more than fifty books, many of which became standard references in universities around the world. His landmark works include Islam: The Straight Path, Islam and Politics, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, The Future of Islam, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think (with Dalia Mogahed), Shariah: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Natana J. DeLong-Bas), and Islamophobia: The Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century. He also served as editor-in-chief of major Oxford reference works, including The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, The Oxford History of Islam, and The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World.

Throughout his distinguished career, Professor Esposito held numerous leadership positions, serving as president of both the Middle East Studies Association of North America and the American Academy of Religion. His contributions were recognized with many honors, including the American Academy of Religion's Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion and Pakistan's Quaid-e-Azam Award for Outstanding Contributions in Islamic Studies.

A lifelong Catholic, Professor Esposito exemplified how deep personal faith can coexist with profound respect for other religious traditions. His scholarship consistently emphasized that understanding, rather than fear, should shape relations between Muslims and the wider world.

For countless Muslims, John L. Esposito was more than a distinguished academic; he was a trusted friend, a principled advocate for fairness, and a courageous voice against prejudice and Islamophobia. His legacy will endure through his writings, his students, and the bridges of understanding he built between faiths and civilizations.

May his life continue to inspire future generations to pursue knowledge with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to mutual understanding.