Sulaiman Al Rajhi, once one of the richest men in the world is no longer a billionaire — and that’s by choice. Now 95, the Saudi banking mogul stunned the world by giving away almost $16 billion of his fortune, making it one of the largest individual charitable donations in history.
Al Rajhi didn’t just donate cash — he gave away shares in Al Rajhi Bank, one of the most profitable Islamic banks in the world, along with real estate, businesses, poultry farms, and more.
Two-thirds of his wealth was placed into waqf (Islamic endowment) to support long-term causes like education, healthcare, food security, and religion, while the rest was given to his children. Among his many initiatives is the Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, a nonprofit focused on health and Islamic finance.
He’s no longer on the Forbes list, but he’s now on a more meaningful list — of people who chose humanity over personal wealth. His reason? “Everything I gave, I gave for God.” He built his fortune from nothing — born into poverty, he worked as a porter and courier before becoming a self-made billionaire. And now, he’s chosen to give back every bit of it.
Sulaiman Al Rajhi’s story is not just about charity — it’s about redefining success, breaking the cycle of greed, and using wealth as a tool to uplift others. In a world where most billionaires die with fortunes untouched, he chose a different path: give while you live.
