04/27/2026
My father-in-law, my wife’s father, passed in December.
I have avoided any public commentary until now to allow for the grieving process to unfold naturally, especially for his family.
Background:
His blessed name was Dr. Muhammad Yaqub Mirza. I called him “Uncle Yaqub.”
He was known domestically and internationally for being a finance mogul, philanthropist, educator, and supporter of education.
He would tell us the story of how, growing up, he thought his name was “Muhammad Tube.” His working-class family owned a bicycle shop; he would hang out there with his father. Cyclists would regularly stop by and ask for a new tube. This rhymes with Yaqub (“yakoob”), so he thought they were mentioning him.
Education:
Whilst he and I are not blood relatives, his impact on my life cannot be overstated. In a very Robert Kiyosaki (“Rich Dad, Poor Dad”) way, he enabled me to soar in ways I otherwise never would have imagined.
He stressed to me the importance of higher education, emphasizing how we cannot allow ourselves to become obsolete. In fact, he sponsored my higher education, and he helped establish centers of learning in multiple universities.
He told me on more than one occasion the story of his primary education in his small village in the Punjab region of what is now Pakistan. His teacher would hang a small blackboard on the branch of a tree outside, and that was their classroom.
Each of his own four children went on to obtain their own doctorate, with the exception of one. That one, I should mention, has served in two presidential administrations and is currently serving in a gubernatorial administration, so….
Wealth:
My own father’s philosophy on wealth was simple and straightforward:
“When I want to go wash my hands, I go to a working faucet with clean water, and that is wealth.”
That’s an awesome place from which to begin.
It is also simply a beginning — I learned from my father-in-law, though, how to live with that wealth.
He taught me how to make it, how to make it work for me, how to utilize it, how to spend, how to invest, how to give, and how to save. He even created an entire model based around this:
Earn,
Save,
Invest,
Spend, then
Give.
You can read about his model in his text here:
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Pillars-Prosperity-Essentials-Faith-Based/dp/1955653062/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2LHAUCR7MNQXH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BlVL_r64B7ME32pKhD4K81oNSk-CDf5hRLn37t2OTJT3og6SWJp8PLHqGRu_E1ODXjk7VcZxc-2UyHzHHEEzpg.QLPzXZvI7GD9cHLOx93iZL4iWkQQJRuwsdQoyhB8GNQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=yaqub+mirza&qid=1777301058&sprefix=yaqub+mirza+%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1.
While he did very well for himself in life in his respective businesses, he built each business or nonprofit to live beyond him and continue serving that respective target audience.
Integrity:
I once remarked to a friend how is his integrity was unmatched. The way he treated his children was the exact same way he treated a stranger. I have never seen this before in anyone. Whilst I believe everyone has a shadow side to which they revert, I never saw his — ever. Perhaps this is what is meant in our Islamic teachings by “the Prophet (s) had no shadow.”
I never saw him miss a prayer, ever.
He opened his home to others in hosting events. The number of events held at his home over the years must be in the triple digits.
And his home, mind you, is not some grandiose palace. He purchased a typical suburban single-family home in 1986 and continued to live there, even as his wealth grew exponentially. I’ve only heard this about Warren Buffett, who famously continues to live in his farmhouse in Omaha.
Please send up a prayer and/or good vibes today to remember a man who did so much for his family and for others.
I hope to one day live up to his example.
PIC:
Uncle Yaqub is seated with his son, Dr. Younus Mirza, to his left, and me to his right. Before him lies his favorite dessert, cheesecake.
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