The Secret to Wealth: A Lesson from a Japanese Billionaire and Islamic Principles

I want to share a powerful wealth-building secret that I learned from one of the most successful CEOs in Japanese history. This Japanese billionaire turned a 180 billion yen loss into a 180 billion yen profit in just over a year. However, his strategy was not about maximizing profit—it was actually something that Muslims have known for more than 1,400 years.

Kazuo Inamori – The Man Who Revived Japan Airlines

Kazuo Inamori is the founder of Kyocera and KDDI, both Fortune 500 companies. He is also famous for an unbelievable turnaround—saving Japan Airlines from bankruptcy in 2010. When he took over, the airline was losing 180 billion yen, but within 424 days, he transformed that loss into a 188 billion yen profit.

His secret? It wasn’t profit maximization!

The Philosophy of Selflessness in Business

Inamori later became a Buddhist monk, but his business philosophy was always about serving others rather than just chasing profit.

He believed that true business success comes from making employees and society better off, not just focusing on profit and shareholders.

This immediately resonated with me because it aligns perfectly with Islamic values.

A Surprising Business Secret

As I dug deeper into his story, I found one of his core six principles for success. One, in particular, stood out to me:

"Serve others selflessly."

This instantly reminded me of the famous hadith of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ):

"None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."

The highest level of selflessness is known as ‘Īthār’ (إِيثَار), where you willingly put the needs of others before your own.

The Legacy of Selflessness in Islam

The Ansar of Madinah embodied this quality when they welcomed the Muhajirun (migrants) and prioritized their needs over their own. Allah (SWT) praises them in the Qur’an:

"They give preference over themselves, even though they are in need." (Surah Al-Hashr: 9)

One powerful example is the story of Abu Talha (RA).

Imagine the scene: A traveler arrives at his home, exhausted and hungry. Abu Talha (RA) has barely enough food for his own family, yet he chooses to serve the guest first. That night, his children went to bed hungry. The next morning, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) praised this act, and a Qur'anic verse was revealed in his honor.

Why Is Selflessness Powerful in Business?

You might be wondering—how does selflessness make a business more successful?

Well, Inamori built several billion-dollar ventures by embracing this principle, and here’s how it works:

1. Reputation & Trust

When people see that you genuinely care about their well-being, it builds trust, loyalty, and goodwill. You’ll find it easier to close deals, attract opportunities, and retain customers for the long term.

2. Customer Loyalty

Clients will always choose you first if they know you prioritize their best interests. They won’t waste time looking at competitors, and you’ll always have a strong customer base.

3. A Dedicated Team

When your employees see that you truly care for them, they reciprocate by going above and beyond for your business.

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, once said:

"The more you care about your team, the more your team will care about you—and their customers."

Short-Term Sacrifice, Long-Term Success

Selflessness may seem like you’re losing out at first, but in reality, you’re gaining far more than you can imagine.

This powerful Muslim business secret has already created multi-billion-dollar businesses—so imagine what we could achieve if we practiced it with sincerity and confidence!

Final Thoughts

Moving forward, let’s embrace this beautiful quality of selflessness in our businesses and daily lives. Let’s serve others, not just because it leads to wealth, but because it is loved by Allah (SWT).