Fuat Sezgin, born in Istanbul on September 24, 1924, is a Turkish scientist, historian and academic.
Who is Fuat Sezgin?
Fuat Sezgin, especially known for his contributions to the history of Islamic science, is an important scholar who examined scientific developments in the Islamic world and introduced them to the Western world. After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Literature, Sezgin continued his scientific studies in Germany and deepened his studies in the field of orientalism. He studied under the German orientalist Hellmut Ritter, who is considered an authority in his field. When his teacher told him that the foundation of sciences was based on "Islamic Sciences", he turned to this field.
Considered one of the most important figures in the history of modern science, Fuat Sezgin made great efforts throughout his life to introduce the scientific contributions of Islamic civilization to the Western world. Fuat Sezgin started to work in the fields of orientalism, history and history of science at Istanbul University. In 1951, he began teaching in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Istanbul University's Faculty of Literature, while closely following scientific developments in the West. In the 1960s, realizing the deficiencies in the history of Western science, he decided to focus on scientific developments in the Islamic world. One of the most important turning points in Sezgin's scientific career was his in-depth research on the "History of Islamic Science". In particular, Fuat Sezgin examined the scientific contributions of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages, revealing the impact of Islamic sciences on scientific developments in the West and was appreciated by many Western scholars. In this context, Sezgin worked intensively to overcome the deficiencies in the transmission of Islamic sciences to the West.
Following the 1960 revolution, he was suspended from the university and emigrated to Germany in 1961. He began lecturing as a visiting associate professor at the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences at Frankfurt J.W. Goethe-University. He became a professor in 1966. The focus of his scientific work was on the "History of Sciences in the Arab-Islamic Culture". From 1967 onwards, he published 17 volumes of his well-known work "History of Arab-Islamic Sciences" in German. Only the first volume of this work was published in Turkish under the title "History of Arab-Islamic Sciences".
Influence and Legacy
In addition to his scientific work, Fuat Sezgin founded the Museum of the History of Islamic Science in Istanbul with the mission of collecting and exhibiting important findings and artifacts in this field. The museum was founded to introduce the scientific developments and scientists of the Islamic world to a wider audience, and it was a great success in a short time. Through this museum, Sezgin ensured the preservation of important artifacts and findings from the history of Islamic science.
and contributed to its transmission to future generations. In 2010, the Prof. Dr. Fuat Sezgin Foundation for Research on the History of Islamic Science was established in Istanbul to support the activities of the museum. Sezgin has received numerous international awards and recognitions and has been invited to many universities around the world.
Sezgin has been an important figure not only in academic circles but also in the cultural field with his contributions to the history of science. Fuat Sezgin, who died in 2018, left behind a great legacy in the history of Islamic science. His scientific and cultural legacy resonated not only in the academic world but also in society. Among many other awards, he received the International King Faisal Prize, the Frankfurt Goethe Plaque and the German State Medal for Distinguished Service. Sezgin was awarded the Presidential Culture and Art Grand Prize in 2013 and the "DOST" Service to Islam Award in 2017.
Throughout his life, Fuat Sezgin made a great effort to protect and spread the scientific heritage of the Islamic world by introducing it to the world. His works are still used as an important reference source in the world of science today.