Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim and Islamic Economics

Born in 1926 in the town of Štip in Macedonia, a historic region of the former Ottoman Empire, Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim was one of the distinguished figures who shaped the history of economics, academia, and higher education in Türkiye. After moving to Istanbul with his family during his childhood, Zaim graduated from Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Sciences and Faculty of Law, combining his background in public administration and law with a strong academic vision.

His academic journey, which began at Istanbul University’s Faculty of Economics, gained an international dimension through his teaching and research at Cornell University, the University of Munich, and King Abdulaziz University. Sabahattin Zaim played a pioneering role not only in theoretical economics but also in the institutional development of Islamic economics in Türkiye and around the world, helping establish it as an academic discipline. With his distinctive approach, which viewed economic issues as inseparable from human, ethical, and social values, he contributed significant works to the fields of labor economics, social policy, and Islamic economics.

In addition to his academic contributions, he also took a leading role in industrialization initiatives and civil society activities. He assumed active responsibilities in national industrial projects such as Gümüş Motor and TÜMOSAN, as well as in the establishment of the İlim Yayma Foundation. Through positions such as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Sakarya University and Founding Rector of the International University of Sarajevo, he made significant contributions to the development of higher education.

Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim passed away on December 10, 2007. His name was given to Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, established by the İlim Yayma Foundation, where