Building With Barakah

Umar Moghul is a passionate advocate for responsible and impact investing, with over 20 years of experience advising on corporate and finance matters. Specializing in ethical and socially responsible investments, Umar has worked with clients across various sectors and continents, totaling over $10 billion in advised matters. In our conversation we talk about the connection between Islamic principles and responsible investing. We discuss a vision of ethical entrepreneurship rooted in divine guidance. From reimagining tenant-landlord relationships to exploring the historical foundations of trust and endowment laws, his insights offer a roadmap for building sustainable communities and institutions. Tune in for an exploration of socially responsible endeavors, impact investing, and the enduring legacy of Islamic finance. Be sure to check out his book, A Socially Responsible Islamic Finance: Character and the Common Good: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-48841-7

In part 2 of my interview with Iman Masmoudi of TŪNIQ, we get more into the brass tacks of the business.We talk about mindful marketing, dive into a bit of Islamic history regarding regulation, explore the world of traditional artisans and the importance of building human, local relationships.We also dive into some thorny bushes surrounding capitalism and anti-capitalism, trying to talk about terms and stay clear of ideology. Ultimately as Muslims, we take wisdom where we can find it while filtering through critical thinking and our own tradition. Iman shares her recommended readings.As I said, this was one of my favorite interviews to do, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Iman is the co-founder and president of TŪNIQ. It's a clothing cooperative, crafting regenerative textiles "from sheep to shop" and re-imagining economic justice. She's also a student at Harvard Law School. She holds a master in philosophy in classical Islamic legal history from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Social Studies and near Eastern languages and civilizations from Harvard. Check out Tūniq here: https://tuniqoasis.com

In part 2 we talk about how LaunchGood came to be, finding co-founders, company culture, and much more!

The first part of my interview with Chris Blauvelt. We talk about his multinational upbringing and the range of projects he pursued in his 20s from working at Intel, becoming a teacher, directing an Arabic language institute, and helping produce a film that made it to Sundance 2010. Some links from the show: Islam and the Cultural Imperative, an essay by Umar Faruq Abdullah: https://www.theoasisinitiative.org/islam-the-cultural-imperative Fawakih Institute: https://fawakih.org/ Bilal's Stand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnSiSqBUy9E&ab_channel=ProducerBurlayToukam

A very belated Eid Mubarak! I had considered breaking larger episodes down to two parts but since I had some technical delays with this episode, I've decided to publish it as an extra long one :) Peter Gould leads a strategic design consulting firm based in Sydney, Dubai, Beirut & Jakarta. Gould Studio advocates for Heart-Centered Design to create meaningful brands, cross-cultural understanding and transformative change. Some of his projects include: The Tales of Khayaal webcomic project https://www.talesofkhayaal.com/ The Heart of Design Course: Design as a Spiritual Practice https://peter-gould.thinkific.com/

Interview with Yasir Ali of the Masjid App, a platform for masjid operations and prayer times.  Check out https://theMasjidApp.net

Nushmia Khan is the founder of Nikah Nama and Silsila. Nikah Nama was launched in 2019 and revived the tradition of intentional and beautiful nikah contracts and has served thousands of couples over the years. Silsila, launched in 2020, is an online shop focused on reviving traditional Muslim arts in new ways.

Grace is the founder of tech sisters, a community dedicated to helping Muslim women feel seen and validated in their tech journeys. She's currently a technical product manager at Patchwork Health and a finalist for the 2022 Muslim Women in Stem Award (update: she won!).

What are the intentions behind Building with Barakah? What even is barakah?  This introductory episode seeks to answer these questions.   🔗 Check out the interview between Mohammed Faris and Peter Gould: https://www.peter-gould.com/interviews/building-with-barakah 🔗 Show Notes