Amira Elghawaby is a human rights advocate and Canada’s former special representative on combatting Islamophobia.
There were both fans and critics alike of the late John L. Esposito, and among all of them were those who believed he was a secret Muslim.
It’s a rumour the renowned academic would recount somewhat bemusedly, often mentioning Canada as its source.
It wasn’t true, yet it symbolized how unusual and meaningful his life’s work had become. His contributions to interfaith dialogue at a time of growing division are now a legacy we all stand to gain from.
Prof. Esposito died a devout Catholic following complications from heart surgery earlier this month. He was 86.
A professor of religion, international affairs, and Islamic studies at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., Prof. Esposito attempted to counter the demonization and othering of Muslims and demonstrate how efforts to bridge divides are fundamental to fostering thriving, pluralistic communities.
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“John was a giant who defended Islam and Muslims when it was perilous to do so. He did more than anybody I know to defang Islamophobic poison in the United States. And he did so without ever raising his voice. He was always civil in the best traditions of both Islam and democracy,” reflected Canadian journalist and author Haroon Siddiqui.
Prof. Esposito’s career in academia followed a decision to abandon a path to priesthood. At first, he intended to complete a PhD on Catholic theology, and then Hinduism. Eventually, a friend and colleague urged him to study Islam. Following the Iranian revolution, and later 9/11, he would eventually become one of the most sought-after global experts on the Middle East and Muslims, advising officials and senior leaders within the U.S. government and beyond.
As author, co-author or editor of more than 50 books on Islam, translated in 35 languages, along with public talks and lectures, Prof. Esposito’s vast intellectual output profoundly impacted people around the world, including here in Canada, where he received an honorary degree from the University of St. Michael’s College (University of Toronto) in 2009.
Tributes for the American-Italian scholar have poured in from across the political and academic world, symbolizing Prof. Esposito’s significant influence despite intellectual efforts to present civilizational clashes as inevitable.
“I mourn today the passing of a dear friend, Professor John L. Esposito, one of the world’s foremost scholars of Islam,” wrote Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on social media.
“John built the intellectual foundations for a deeper understanding of Islam in the West. His contribution to the cause of Muslim-Christian understanding was enormous ... He built bridges where others were content to build civilisational barriers.”
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It was, in fact, his devotion to Catholicism that is credited with being at the heart of his prolific writing and teaching that sought to present Western audiences with enlightened views of Islam – a faith that had been either ignored or maligned by far too many.
“Dr. Esposito embodied the Catholic Jesuit value of cura personalis, care for the whole person. Central to his ethos was understanding one another and building bridges towards a pluralistic world that celebrates our differences and works together for the good of all,” shared Mobashra Tazamal, associate director of the Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University, a research project Prof. Esposito established to help tackle Islamophobia.
“His Italian-American background and his Catholicism allowed John to interpret the Islamic tradition sympathetically but not uncritically,” wrote Canadian academic Nader Hashemi, director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which Prof. Esposito founded in 1993.
“Like Islam today, Catholicism also struggled to reconcile its historical roots and normative ethical claims with the demands of modernity. John drew upon his Catholic background to understand and interpret the developmental challenges facing Muslim societies today.”
While times have changed since Prof. Esposito first entered academia, the universal principles that permeated his work have profoundly affected younger generations of scholars.
“Dr. Esposito was the first person who really showed me how you could be an advocate against Islamophobia and an advocate for Muslims without actually being Muslim yourself. And that’s something that I’ve tried to take on in my own work since,” explained Jordan Denari Duffner, a theologian and educator at the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies in Oxford.
Prof. Esposito’s sudden passing comes at a time when support for pluralism, multiculturalism and religious freedoms are constantly being tested. It offers an opportunity to revisit his work and honour the vision he entrusted to all of us: a world of understanding over simplistic caricatures and negative assumptions.