Lois Lamya al-Faruqi

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi (née Lois Rachel Ibsen, July 25, 1926 – May 27, 1986) was an expert in music and Islamic culture. She was known for her work in studying Arabic music and how it fits in with Islamic traditions. Born in Montana, United States in 1926, she studied music and later focused on teaching and researching Islamic art. She wrote many important papers and co-authored books, sharing her knowledge about music and culture. Lois was active in many groups and supported the study of music in the Muslim world. She and her husband, Ismail al-Faruqi, were killed in 1986 in their home, leading to many questions about why they died.

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi
Born	25 July 1926 Plentywood, Montana, United States
Died	27 May 1986 (1986-05-28) (aged 59) Wyncote, Pennsylvania, United States
Cause of death	Murder by stabbing
Spouse	Ismail al-Faruqi ​ ​ (m. 2002; died 1986)​
Children	5
Academic background
Academic work
Main interests	Art, Music
Notable ideas	Islamic perspective on music, music and religion
Website	ismailfaruqi.com

Early life and education

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi was born in Plentywood, Montana. Her parents, Fred and Rachel Ibsen (Flaten), came from Denmark and Norway. She finished school at the University of Montana in 1948 with a degree in music. She studied the piano. After that, she went to Indiana University and earned an M.A. in music in 1949. During this time, she met and married Ismail al-Faruqi.

She taught at Butler University for three years. Then, she focused on Islamic studies. She continued her studies at McGill University and later got her Ph.D. in Humanities from Syracuse University. Her Ph.D. work was called "The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Arabian Music".

Work and teaching

In 1977, Lois Lamya started teaching as an adjunct professor at Temple University and Villanova University. She was active in the Society for Ethnomusicology. She served on different committees, including being head and program leader of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

Focus of study

Lois Lamya studied Islamic music. She looked at Arabic music, how music fits into Islamic culture and its role in religious life. She wrote important works, like "The Cultural Atlas of Islam," which she co-wrote with her husband, Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. This book, published by Macmillan, explains Islamic culture and history, including its arts. She wrote many papers on music, Islamic art, and culture. Her Ph.D. paper, "The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Arabian Music," mixed ideas and real-life research on Arabian music. She worked to show an Islamic view of music and talked about Muslim music customs. Her works include "An Annotated Glossary of Arabic Musical Terms" and articles on music in Islamic communities.

Other roles

Besides teaching, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi gave talks, helped organize events and exhibits, and joined many groups. She was an active member of the Society for Ethnomusicology. She served on different committees and was head of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. She supported ethnomusicology in the Muslim world and shared her ideas widely. She was on the board of the Islamic Arts Foundation and part of a UNESCO team working on a Universal Scientific and Cultural History of Mankind. From 1975 until she died in 1986, she led the Arts and Literature Group of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists.

Death

See the main article: Murder of the Faruqis

On May 27, 1986, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi and her husband were killed in their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. The reasons for their deaths are not clear, with ideas ranging from a failed break-in to a politically driven act.