Sabahattin Zaim Was Commemorated at IZU on the 18th Anniversary of His Passing

"Teacher of teachers" Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim Was Commemorated at IZU on the 18th anniversary of his passing. Following the opening of a photo exhibition featuring images from the family album, a panel was held in which Prof. Dr. Mehveş Tarım, Prof. Dr. Sedat Murat, and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Tabakoğlu spoke about Sabahattin Zaim as a father, teacher, and scholar.

One of the founding figures of participation banking in Türkiye, Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim was commemorated at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, which bears his name. Before the panel held at the Abdullah Tivnikli Conference Hall, an exhibition featuring photographs from "Zaim Hoca's" family album was opened. The opening was attended by IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Erhan İçener and Prof. Dr. Nihat Erdoğmuş, and IZU Secretary General Dr. Fatih Hasdemir, as well as faculty deans, academic and administrative staff, and students.

ACAR: SABAHATTİN ZAİM’S PRINCIPLE WAS TO RAISE GOOD PEOPLE
Following the exhibition tour, the panel began with opening remarks by IZU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar. Acar emphasized that Sabahattin Zaim was one of the first scholars in Turkish academia to represent religious and national values. Noting that “Zaim Hoca” was a pioneer in the fields of Islamic economics and participation banking, Acar said, “Prof. Dr. Sabahattin Zaim was a figure whose integrity was acknowledged even by his opponents. His guiding principle was to raise good people. We continue to strive on this path.”

BULUT: HE NEVER RETREATED INTO AN IVORY TOWER
Moderating the program, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bulut highlighted that Sabahattin Zaim made it a principle to stay above politics, emphasizing his contributions to academia and civil society. Stating that Zaim never retreated into an ivory tower, Bulut said he always prioritized serving society under all conditions. Bulut added, “Fixing one leg of the compass on your own values while trying to understand the world is one of the fundamental duties of a scholar. We learned this from Sabahattin Zaim Hoca.”

TARIM: MY FATHER WAS A MAN OF SERVICE
Prof. Dr. Mehveş Tarım, IZU faculty member and daughter of Sabahattin Zaim, shared memories and observations about her father. She noted that Zaim was the child of a migrant family who came from Albania to Türkiye to live their faith and values. Emphasizing Zaim’s commitment to religious and civic education, she said: “I learned both my first prayer and my first dance from my father.” Highlighting her father’s dedication to national identity and family values, Tarım added, “My father was a man devoted to serving his country.” She concluded her remarks with Sabahattin Zaim’s words stressing the importance of raising “good people.”

MURAT: HE DEDICATED HIMSELF TO HIS STUDENTS AND HIS COUNTRY
Prof. Dr. Sedat Murat, who served as Sabahattin Zaim’s assistant for 25 years, said that the professor treated his students as family. “I have never seen anyone as devoted to his students and country as he was,” Murat said, noting that Zaim served not only in academia but also in the private sector throughout his life. Murat continued: “Sabahattin Hoca was a sincere believer and an exemplary practitioner. He strove to fulfill the requirements of his faith in every sense. He sought nothing but the pleasure of God.”

TABAKOĞLU: HE PIONEERED ISLAMIC ECONOMICS STUDIES IN TÜRKİYE
Stating, “As an academic who has been teaching for 45 years, I am proud to serve at an institution that bears Sabahattin Zaim’s name,” IZU faculty member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Tabakoğlu described Zaim as a groundbreaking figure in labor and work economics. “The person who initiated Islamic economics studies in Türkiye is Sabahattin Zaim,” Tabakoğlu said, noting that Zaim’s research on Istanbul’s industrial history and industrial zone planning remains unsurpassed.