# Lois Lamya al-Faruqi

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi (née Lois Rachel Ibsen, July 25, 1926 – May 27, 1986) was an American scholar and expert on Islamic art and music. She made contributions to the field of ethnomusicology, particularly in the study of Islamic musical culture, and co-authored the work The Cultural Atlas of Islam with her husband, Ismail al-Faruqi.

## Early life and education

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi was born in 1927 in Plentywood, Montana to Fred Ibsen and Rachel Ibsen (née Flaten), who were Danish and Norwegian immigrants, respectively. She graduated from the University of Montana in 1948 with a degree in music, where she studied piano. She then attended Indiana University, receiving an M.A. in music in 1949. During this period, she met and married Ismail Raji al-Faruqi. She taught at Butler University for three years before focusing on Islamic studies. She continued her education at McGill University and later obtained her Ph.D. in Humanities from Syracuse University with a thesis entitled The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Arabian Music.

## Professional and academic contributions

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi held positions as an adjunct professor at Temple University and Villanova University from 1977 onwards. She was actively involved in the Society for Ethnomusicology, serving on various committees, including as president and program chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

### Areas of expertise

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi focused on Islamic musical culture. Her research included topics such as Arabic music, the role of music in Islamic culture, and the relationship between music and religious practices.

### Major publications

She authored several works, including The Cultural Atlas of Islam, co-authored with her husband, Ismail Raji al-Faruqi, and published posthumously by Macmillan. This book is a comprehensive resource on Islam's cultural and historical aspects, including its artistic expressions.

### Scholarly contributions

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi's scholarly contributions include numerous articles and papers exploring various aspects of music, Islamic art, and culture. Her Ph.D. dissertation, "The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Arabian Music," provided an analysis of Arabian music, combining theoretical perspectives with empirical research.
She focused on articulating an Islamic perspective on music and examining Muslim musical practices. Her contributions in this area include An Annotated Glossary of Arabic Musical Terms, a resource for scholars studying Arabic music, and several articles on the role of music in Islamic societies.

### Professional activities

Lois Lamya al-Faruqi was an active member of the Society for Ethnomusicology, serving on various committees, including as president and program chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. She promoted ethnomusicology in the Muslim world and represented that constituency to the broader community.

### Additional roles

In addition to her academic work, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi was involved in various professional activities, including lecturing, organizing conferences and exhibits, and participating in numerous organizations. She was a board member of the Islamic Arts Foundation and a member of the UNESCO working group to prepare a Universal Scientific and Cultural History of Mankind. She chaired the Arts and Literature Group of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists from 1975 until she died in 1986.

## Death

On May 27, 1986, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi and her husband were murdered in their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. The motivations behind the murders have been the subject of various theories, including a botched burglary and politically motivated assassination.