Faber Est Suae Quisque Fortunae
(Every man is an artisan to his own fortune)
Like many of us, I’m a mid-level manager in a mid-sized multinational company, working away from home — and always intrigued by one question: how to make money the right way.
Should I just enjoy life within my means, or should I start a side hustle and invest for the future?
By sheer luck, I had experience interning at a brokerage firm and later working as marketing manager in a multinational corporation. So, the question before me was always: where to start?
The Early Attempts and Lessons Learned
I tried selling on Amazon, but it was too complex. Then I thought, why not open a brokerage account and start trading?
I ventured into forex, crypto, stock options, and commodity CFDs — and like many retail traders, I lost a few thousand dollars.
Digging deeper, I realized that leverage was the real issue. In CFDs (Contracts for Difference), I didn’t own anything. As a small investor, even a slight market move would trigger losses because quants and algorithms dominate leveraged trading.
You can get lucky a few times, but eventually, you lose. In one instance, even my stop loss didn’t execute due to a technical glitch, wiping out most of my account. That’s when I truly understood: trading with leverage is closer to gambling than investing.
The Turning Point: Owning Real Assets
After these experiences, I decided to go back to ethical investing — where I could actually own what I buy.
I opened an account with a broker offering fractional shares, making it possible to build a diversified portfolio without massive capital. I started exploring ETFs for commodities, which are backed by real physical assets, not derivatives.
On the crypto side, I focused on blockchains with strong ethical and transparent use cases, such as Bitcoin and Stellar (XLM). I purchased them on regulated exchanges and stored them safely in my Trust Wallet, ensuring full control over my holdings.
Over time, my red portfolio started to turn green — a result of patient, responsible investing.
The Results of Ethical and Responsible Investing
The change was remarkable.
In just three months, my stock portfolio gained double digit growth, and within the last month, growth doubled.
The commodity and crypto positions performed even better, driven by the recent market rally. More importantly, I finally achieved peace of mind knowing my returns came from real ownership and ethical decisions, not speculation or gambling-like trades.
Why Ethical Investing Makes Sense
For both Muslim and non-Muslim investors, ethical investing is about much more than religion — it’s about earning responsibly and avoiding exploitative financial products.
When you invest in real businesses, ETFs, and tangible assets, your profits are built on value creation, not volatility or leverage.
As the old saying goes:
“Faber est suae quisque fortunae” — Every man is the artisan of his own fortune.
Your financial future depends on the principles you choose.
Invest with patience, integrity, and ownership — and you’ll find both profit and purpose.
