Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza, a physicist‑turned‑entrepreneur who helped shape Islamic finance and Muslim intellectual life in North America for more than four decades, died on December 3, 2025, in Virginia, just days before his 79th birthday, according to an announcement by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his wife and children, as an online obituary service reported, prompting tributes from scholars, political leaders, and community organizations across several continents. IIIT described him as a “scholar, visionary leader, and devoted servant” whose work will continue through the institutions he helped build.
Scholar, Entrepreneur, and Institutional Architect
Born in Karachi in 1946, Mirza earned a master’s degree in physics from the University of Karachi before moving to the United States, where he completed a PhD in physics and a master’s in science education at the University of Texas at Dallas in the mid‑1970s. He later became better known for his work in business and philanthropy, serving as president and CEO of Sterling Management Group, Inc., a Virginia‑based investment and asset‑management firm.
Mirza was a co‑founder of IIIT, established in 1981 in Herndon, Virginia, as a nonprofit institute focused on Islamic thought and education in Muslim societies. He also played a formative role in Sharia‑compliant investment, serving for decades as a trustee and later as chairman of Amana Mutual Funds Trust, a U.S. mutual fund family that, according to company disclosures and his LinkedIn profile, grew to manage around $6 billion in assets under his board leadership.
In a tribute, Canadian outlet Iqra.ca called him “a pioneer of faith‑based finance and philanthropy,” noting that his career “spanned physics, entrepreneurship, and visionary philanthropy” in ways that shaped how Muslim communities approached wealth and community development.
Global Tributes to a Quiet Strategist
IIIT’s memorial described Mirza as a “man of few words” who preferred to “build quietly rather than talk about what he was building,” a sentiment echoed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a personal condolence message on X. Ibrahim wrote that Mirza “dreamed mighty things for the Muslim world” and combined “calm discipline” with a lifelong focus on “strengthening institutions, supporting scholars, and helping communities think about their future.”
Other tributes circulated on social media and community platforms highlighted his mentorship of younger professionals and activists, as well as his reputation for understated, behind‑the‑scenes leadership. An obituary on Janaaza786 described him as “a remarkable individual whose life was a true reflection of faith, service, leadership, and compassion.”
Building Centers of Knowledge and Philanthropy
Beyond finance and think‑tank work, Mirza invested heavily in higher education. He served on advisory boards and trustee bodies at institutions including George Mason University, Shenandoah University, and the University of Texas at Dallas, where he supported programs in the humanities, social sciences, and business, according to university profiles and his professional biography.
He was instrumental in launching the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University, which focuses on research and public engagement on Muslim experiences today, Iqra.ca reported. Ann Ardis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University, described one of Mirza’s major gifts as “transformative,” saying it exemplified “what a philanthropic partnership can accomplish for a research center,” including support for students, faculty, and long‑term research capacity.
Controversies and Legal Scrutiny
Mirza’s public life also included moments of scrutiny. In 2002, federal agents raided several offices associated with him as part of a post‑September 11 investigation into alleged money laundering and terrorism financing, according to contemporaneous accounts summarized in his Wikipedia biography. He was never charged with any crime in connection with those raids, and subsequent tributes and profiles have continued to focus on his philanthropic and institutional contributions.
A Legacy Through Institutions and Students
Mirza’s family and supporters have not released detailed public information about funeral arrangements, but obituary sites and IIIT’s announcement indicate that services were held in Virginia in early December. In their memorial notice, IIIT leaders said the most enduring measure of his life would be the “institutions he shaped and the people he supported,” a theme echoed in messages from scholars and political figures who credited him with expanding the intellectual and financial infrastructure of Muslim communities in North America and beyond.
As IIIT and partner organizations continue programs in Islamic thought, education, and philanthropy that he helped initiate, tributes describe his passing as both a personal loss for colleagues and a turning point for a generation of Muslim institution‑builders now tasked with carrying forward his emphasis on quiet, long‑term investment in ideas and communities.