In Memoriam: Forough Jahanbakhsh (1957–2025)

With great sadness we remember Dr. Forough Jahanbakhsh — scholar, educator, mentor, and friend — who passed away on 14 November 2025 after a long illness. (Queen's University)

Her passing is a profound loss not only for her family, but for the community of students, colleagues, and the broader world of Islamic studies that she touched deeply.

A Life Devoted to Knowledge and Understanding

Dr. Jahanbakhsh earned her B.A. at Damavand College in Tehran, and went on to complete her M.A. (1989) and Ph.D. (1997) at McGill University in Montreal, specializing in modern developments in Islam and Iran.

In 2002, she joined the faculty of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario — making Canada her academic home.

Her signature work, Islam, Democracy and Religious Modernism in Iran (1953–2000), remains a foundational study.

In it, she explored how a generation of Iranian thinkers sought to reconcile Islam, democracy, and modernity — navigating the complex interactions of faith, politics, and intellectual freedom. (Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

Through her research, teaching, and translations (including engagement with the writings of prominent reformist thinkers such as Abdolkarim Soroush), she brought clarity and depth to debates around religion, pluralism, and democratic values. (Fondazione Internazionale Oasis)

Mentor, Educator, Bridge-Builder

For more than two decades at Queen’s School of Religion, she taught courses on Islam and modernity, guiding students — many of them from immigrant or diasporic backgrounds — in grappling with identity, faith, and belonging in a changing world.

Her generosity, kindness, and intellectual rigor left an indelible mark on her students, colleagues, and all who had the privilege to learn from her.

According to the university’s tribute: “Her contributions … and mentorship … has left a lasting impact on generations.”

A Scholar of Conscience, A Voice for Thoughtful Reform

Dr. Jahanbakhsh was part of a generation of scholars who refused to treat religion as static or monolithic.

She championed the possibility of a thoughtful, vibrant, and evolving Islam — one engaged with modernity, democracy, and pluralism.

Through her writing, teaching, and translation work, she helped open intellectual space for dialogue and reform.

Her book remains widely cited and continues to inform scholarship and public discourse on Islam, democracy, and modernity in Iran and beyond.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, her students and colleagues, and to all in the Iranian-Canadian and global Muslim academic communities. Her absence will be deeply felt.

May her scholarly legacy continue to inspire — encouraging critical thought, compassion, and the pursuit of understanding.