Umar Chapra

Career In 1965, Chapra moved to Saudi Arabia after being offered an economic advisory position at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA). He was among the first Pakistani nationals to move to the Kingdom. He worked under Minister for Finance Sheikh Mohammed Abalkhai during the reign of King Faisal, and played an instrumental role in building Saudi Arabia's banking system, as well as formulating the government's economic and monetary policies over the next several decades. In 1990, he was awarded the King Faisal International Prize in the field of Islamic studies and economics. He was also granted Saudi citizenship in recognition of his services to the country.

In 1995, he was awarded an Institute of Overseas Pakistanis medal by the President of Pakistan, for his contributions in economics. His funeral prayer was held on 14 June 2026 at Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, after which he was buried at Jannat al-Mu'alla.

Awards and recognition Islamic Development Bank Award for Islamic Economics (1989). The IOP (Institute of Overseas Pakistanis) gold medal by the President of Pakistan for services to Islam and Islamic Economics at the First IOP Convention in Islamabad (1995). Ranked by ISLAMICA 500 among the Top 50 Global Leaders in Islamic Economics in 2015.