July: The Pursuit of Knowledge
I've reflected publicly through this newsletter on many aspects of my life, but never the role my spirituality or religion plays. So today, I chose to share this intimate part of my identity.
Highlights:
Writing 3 longer pieces right now, some in collaboration with others.
Moving to Toronto in a week.
The side project has reached a significant milestone and I am working with an ideal customer right now.
A few months back I mentioned starting a new publication for young professionals. The initial cohort is well on its way to be published in Fall so keep an eye out as I begin promoting this!
Books I’ve read this month
No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot
A memoir recounting the journey of Wes Hall, a very successful Canadian-Jamaican businessman.
I’ve never read a memoir before, but for some reason decided this was the month to do so. I found it nothing short of inspiring. Surprisingly, he talked a lot about faith, the importance of mentors, and perseverance. All are important takeaways for me.
One of the projects I have been pursuing is blockchain-related so I decided to really dive into the world of blockchain.
A full exploration of the significance of blockchain and its role in creating a new, democratized internet.
Especially relevant considering the recent anti-trust verdict on Google and what is yet to come for Big Tech.
What’s Included -
1. Reflections of the Month
2. Current Engagements
3. Article Picks
4. Current Goals
5. Anchor Exercise
Reflections of the Month
As of late, I’ve become very in tune with who I am, my strengths, my weaknesses, and what I believe are my underlying traits. When I’m asked to describe myself, I say ‘curious’. Now I could attribute that to winning the “Love of Learning” award back in kindergarten almost 20 years ago and maybe that would have some truth to it. But to be fair, it likely resulted from the behaviours my parents encouraged, the types of books they’d give me, and surprisingly my faith.
For me, my faith being an Ismaili Muslim has been a core aspect of my identity as I’ve grown up. Much of the values I carry now are derived from my faith and its pillars, such as volunteerism, community-orientedness, and most significantly the importance of knowledge. The words of my parents still ring through my mind to this day, quoting our spiritual leader Aga Khan IV: “Knowledge is Power”. If I were to lose everything physical in this world, the one thing I would still have to pick myself up again is the knowledge, skills, and experiences I’ve collected — and that is invaluable.
Having this ingrained into my psyche since a young age has had a profound effect on my interests. I’m always drawn to learning new things, understanding new perspectives, and developing my own opinions. It’s also a practice I now spend a lot of time on through writing my articles as I genuinely believe knowledge is power and it can be gained in many different ways. As of now, as I am young and have relatively little experience, it’s done through reading articles, analyzing information, synthesizing these concepts, and creating my own narratives from them. Interestingly enough, I’ve never found the pursuit of knowledge, even scientific, in conflict with my faith.
One of the projects I’m most proud of in elementary school was creating a version of the experiment of a great Muslim scholar from the 9th century. Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi assessed the most ideal location to build a new hospital in Baghdad by hanging meat in different areas of the city to see where it would rot the fastest. Baghdad itself was a place of scientific discovery and wisdom, actually known for its House of Wisdom, a flourishing public academy during the Abbasid caliphate. Another amazing example that has stuck with me throughout my life is the early work of Islamic scholars on what we now know as the theory of natural selection. What amazed me is these scholars fused ideas of faith with science, which some see as a paradox. The specific example I remember through my own research is that the human’s physical form is a result of natural selection, but our consciousness and cognitive abilities are a gift from god – this I found quite poetic. The final, most impactful example of where faith and knowledge truly intertwined for me was in learning about the history and now modern initiatives in the Ismaili community.
You may not know, but the modern name for Cairo Egypt is a result of one of the spiritual leaders, al-Mui’zz, of my religious sect conquering the city which became the capital of the Fatimid caliphate, an Ismaili-led caliphate.
“The name of Cairo is derived from the Arabic al-Qāhirah (القاهرة), meaning 'the Vanquisher' or 'the Conqueror', given by the Fatimid Caliph al-Mu'izz following the establishment of the city as the capital of the Fatimid dynasty”.
During the reign of the Fatimid caliphate in 970 AD, the Al-Azhar university was established and it still is a center of education to this day. If there’s anything that represents the timelessness of knowledge to me and its relation to my faith: it's this.
So how have these beliefs of mine crystallized? Much of what I do in my spare time is a dedication of my time to gaining and spreading knowledge. Whether it’s writing my own articles to share, reading newsletters, or working on new projects I find a new almost spiritual value in it as weird as that may sound. Knowledge and the pursuit of understanding the world around us have allowed mankind to leap in technological innovation, physical understanding, and enhance the lives of your average human being. As time passes, this will continue to happen at an exponential rate, which for reference you can see in this timeline.
Sharing my own work on the internet has brought me lots of fulfillment and I’ll continue to learn and teach through my writing and other initiatives. I hope you also are somewhat inspired to continue your own learning and pursuit of knowledge. I’d like to also reflect on this being the first time I’ve openly talked about my spirituality and faith and I appreciate your willingness to learn and listen. All in all, I make a conscious decision to stay curious as I have been taught that it will prepare me best for life.
Current Engagements
Substack Essay Writing
Other Collaborative Essay Writing
Canadian Climate Tech Podcast
Thought Leadership Publication Editor
Start-up (Customer Engagement)
Mentoring a few students
If you have any thoughts on current projects I’m pursuing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at kaden.gulamani@gmail.com.
Article Picks of the Month
How pulling carbon out of the ocean may help remove it from the air
Net-zero grid could spark flurry of deal-making in renewables sector
Mark Carney criticises Canada’s bank climate disclosure lag
Climate capital needs to seek growth equity funds
How Fossil Fuels Drive Inflation and Make Life Less Affordable for Canadians
Full charge: How FLO aims to conquer the EV charging market
New IEA Study Suggests CO2 Markets Could Drive Green Fuel Adoption
Re: Reflections on a Canadian Tilt to Public Pension Fund Investments
Catalyzing American Innovation in Climate Resilience
Current Goals
Settle into Toronto and build good habits and lifestyle before starting work.
Starting in September, things will get busy as I begin working at Guidehouse. The good thing is I have a great gym in my apartment building and I am above a massive mall so day-to-day tasks won’t be too much trouble.
With all my writing and other work, I have to make sure that I get into a rhythm where it feels like second nature so that even after a long week I can attain my work goals.
That being said, I will probably ease off my writing to adjust to work and then get back into it once I am more comfortable.
Save
It’s almost time to put the savings plan I started in my wealth management course into action. Over the next month, I’ll be trying to be more meticulous in my planning.
Anchors Exercise
What are your anchors?
Family
After spending most of my summer back home, I realized how nice it is to spend time with family. I also came across a chart depicting the time you spend with people over your life.
It seems like I’m reaching an age where it will be harder to spend time with family, especially considering my work has brought me to the other side of the continent. Working hard and saving so I can spend as much time with my family is important to me.
That’s it for this month, thanks for your continued attention and I wish you all the best in August!
Let’s get shit done ~