A Doctor of Philosophy degree obtained from Rice University in 1983 marked the academic culmination of Hajj Muhammad Legenhausen. Born in New York City in 1953, he transitioned from a Catholic upbringing to a career as a writer, philosopher, and university teacher, eventually focusing his intellectual efforts on the study of ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of religion.
Academic Transition and Conversion
Legenhausen completed his early academic training at the State University of New York at Albany, where he moved away from his Catholic background. Between 1979 and 1989, he held a teaching position at Texas Southern University. During this tenure, he encountered Islamic studies through his students, which resulted in his formal conversion to Islam in 1983.
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His professional career shifted toward Iran in the 1990s. He taught at the Islamic Iranian Academy of Philosophy from 1990 until 1994. In 1996, he joined the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute. At this institution, he has focused on instruction regarding Western philosophy and Christianity while continuing his own research into Islamic thought.
Interfaith Engagement and Publications
Legenhausen advocates for interfaith dialogue and participates in various scientific and advisory boards in Qom, including the Shi'ite Studies Center and the Human Rights Center at Mofid University. His published work covers diverse subjects, ranging from religious pluralism and the existence of God to comparative approaches on the soul and studies on Hegel. Notable titles include Islam and Religious Pluralism, Contemporary Topics of Islamic Thought, and Jesus through the Qur'an and Shi'ite Narrations.
Fast facts
- Born: 1953, New York City
- Citizenship: United States
- PhD: Rice University, 1983
- Religion: Islam
- Primary Fields: Ethics, epistemology, philosophy of religion
- Major Employer: Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute
Questions readers ask
What is Legenhausen's position on religious pluralism?
He defends a concept he terms non-reductive religious pluralism, as articulated in his book Islam and Religious Pluralism.
Where does he currently teach?
He has been a teacher at the Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute since 1996.
Achievements
- Held posts at Texas Southern University and Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute
- Fields: philosophy of religion, epistemology and ethics
