Jane Idleman Smith: key obituary facts
Is Jane Idleman Smith dead? Yes. Jane Idleman Smith died on June 4, 2026, at age 88.
Cause of death: Jane Idleman Smith's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Jane Idleman Smith known for?
She was known as American Islamic scholar (1937–2026).
More about Jane Idleman Smith
Born: 1 January 1937.
Place of birth: Park Ridge.
Gender: female.
Occupation: Islamicist, university teacher, religious studies scholar.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Michigan State University, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, Harvard Divinity School.
Also known as: Jane I. Smith, Jane Smith.
Jane Idleman Smith, an American scholar of Islam and former Harvard University professor, died on June 4, 2026, at age 88.
Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, she devoted her career to Islamic studies and comparative religion, teaching at Harvard University and later serving as professor emerita of Islamic studies at Hartford Seminary. She held degrees from Hartford Seminary and Harvard Divinity School, and her work also included service as co-director of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and as co-editor of The Muslim World.
Smith was known in print as Jane I. Smith and Jane Smith.