27 August 2008
Imran Uddin Discusses Running a Muslim Business in America
Ask America webchat transcript, August 26
Imran Uddin, owner of Madani Halal Lamb, Goat & Poultry in Ozone Park, New York, which caters to the dietary needs of New York Muslims, answered questions in an August 26 webchat on running a Muslim business in America.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Ask America Webchat Transcript
Running a Muslim Business in America
Guest: Imran Uddin
Date: August 26, 2008
Time: 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT)
Webchat Moderator: Welcome to our webchat! Submit your questions here. Thank you for your questions. They will not appear on the screen until our live chat.
Webchat Moderator: Hello everyone! We will be getting started in just a few minutes.
Imran Uddin: Hi, this is Imran Uddin, owner of Madani Halal in New York City. I look forward to chatting with you this morning.
Webchat Moderator: Welcome to today's webchat featuring Imran Uddin. We are taking your questions now.
Question [Wiem]: Could you tell me please the challenges you have met when you decided to join your father's business?
Answer [Imran Uddin]: Some of the biggest challenges that I've had to encounter were probably acceptance by the Muslim community, having them trust in me. To cater to their needs, provide them with Halal, it took a lot of time and patience for them to be able to trust me. But that was the biggest obstacle that I had to encounter and overcome.
Q [Chat]: What did your friends think about your decision?
A [Imran Uddin]: Actually, most of my friends, my fellow co-workers, as well as the people I went to school with, they were shocked. But at the same time they thought it was exciting. They absolutely supported me all the way through. So that actually helped the transition a lot more, the fact that they were so supportive.
Webchat Moderator: If you are just joining us, welcome! If you would like to introduce yourself please tell us who you are and where you're from.
Q [Chat]: What made you leave the corporate world and move to the business of your father? Do you feel more rewarded in your current job?
A [Imran Uddin]: There were several reasons why I left the corporate world. One was I was just feeling unhappy and incomplete in the corporate world. There's a lot of activity that goes on that I don't feel is proper conduct, especially with the way I was raised. And the other thing was, I felt I came to a point in my life where I felt that it was time for me to go back to my community, the Muslim community, and be a part of that. And the best way to do that was to take over my father's business. It was a step in that direction.
Comment [Wiem 2]: This is Wiem. I am from Tunisia. I am a Master's Student.
Comment [Ayaz Ahmed]: aslam o alaikum
Q [Chat]: You have an interesting ethnic background! As a child, did you feel more Bangladeshi or Puerto Rican?
A [Imran Uddin]: I wanted to feel more Bangladeshi. That was a challenge that I had growing up. In my community most of the children who were Bangladeshi were born and raised in Bangladesh. Here I am with Puerto Rican mother being born in the United States. I want to fit in. I wanted to feel Bangladeshi, but I knew I was American. It was difficult trying to fit into that community.
Comment [naveed]: This is naveed from Saudi Arabia.
Q [Wiem]: What is your view about Arab-American entrepreneurship in the U.S.?
A [Imran Uddin]: The United States was based on -- was founded on -- the entrepreneurships of people from various countries and ethnic groups including Arabs.
Q [Wiem]: How is your work perceived by the Americans and the Arab-Americans?
A [Imran Uddin]: Americans were initially very skeptical with this type of business because they’re not used to seeing a slaughterhouse a few blocks away from where they live. Some of them perceive it as being barbaric and not very sanitary and gruesome whereas Arab-Americans are all for it. They can get their fresh lamb and Halal products right here. So the Arab-American community is very supportive and actually loves the fact that they can have fresh lamb just like many of them get back home.
So the American community was very skeptical, but now actually Gourmet magazine has done an article on our meats and what we carry and how it's actually better than what people can buy in supermarkets, and suddenly it's becoming like this new trend that getting fresh is better than buying at a supermarket. There's a transition going on within the American community.
Webchat Moderator: To learn more about Imran Uddin's halal meat business in New York please visit: http://www.america.gov/st/econ-english/2008/August/20080807143304berehellek0.1432611.html
Q [Osman Yama Osmani]: Could you please tell me about Muslim young generations life in the USA and as well as yourself. What does the young generation feel about being a Muslim?
A [Imran Uddin]: Well, it's definitely changed since I was a child. In my community where I live there is a very large Muslim population. There are Muslim schools that are opening up all over the place, and finally Muslims can walk around feeling proud in their communities because they have their own schools, they have their own stores. And so the children are being brought up to be American but they will also maintain their culture and tradition as well as their religious obligations, so it’s becoming easier.
Q [Wiem 2]: So you believe that one of the principles of the US is entrepreneurship?
A [Imran Uddin]: I don't think it's a principle, but it's something that many people who have come to this country want to achieve are to establish their own business, find success. Is it a principle, no. But it’s the dream of many people.
Webchat Moderator: There are many questions coming in. Our speaker will try to answer as many of your questions as possible.
Q [Wiem 2]: Do you think that the Arabs have their fingerprint on the American society and culture: food, clothes, music, arts.
A [Imran Uddin]: They definitely have their fingerprint on American society because they're here. They have several large communities throughout New York and United States alone. They make it obvious that they are here and they have their communities and they’re well settled. As far as fingerprint on American culture, what is American culture? That has to be defined. However, they’re certainly creating their own American culture in the United States.
Comment [Osman Yama Osmani]: This is Osman Yama Osmani from Afghanistan.
Comment [Wiem 2]: I hope I will come to NY in October and come to buy some fresh meat from your slaughter house business.
A [Imran Uddin]: I would love anybody to feel free to stop by to either make a purchase or just to come in to see what we do to educate themselves about where their food comes from. They can also see Halal being done to ensure that it's properly slaughtered. They can visit our website which is: http://www.madanihalal.com
Comment [Wiem 2]: I am doing my dissertation on the Arab-American entrepreneurship.
Q [Golam Mostafa]: What type of problem are you Uddin facing is not clear for us?
A [Imran Uddin]: The problems that I was facing when I had taken over are the community, the Muslim community, trusting me to provide them with Halal. Serving Halal to the community is a very big responsibility one has to carry. It's not just giving someone a piece of meat; you're blessing their meat for them, for them to consume as part of their religious obligations.
You are becoming part of their religious duty. If the people don't trust you there’s not much room for success. So you have to, win the trust of the people in order to be able to provide and succeed in this type of business.
Q [RISOL/Nablus]: Do you encourage the Muslims to invest there money in America?
A [Imran Uddin]: I encourage Muslims to invest their money into Muslim communities, educational systems, schools, mosques, things like that, whether that is here in America or overseas. It doesn’t matter as long as the Muslim people are investing in themselves.
Comment [RISOL/Nablus]: I am a volunteer from relief international from nablus district.
Q [Petro]: Dear Sir, I'm curious about your community and elections in 2008. Some immigrant communities may become isolated and out of touch with the bigger picture of the U.S. How do you sense involvement of your community in this election? Is it the topic of discussion in your shop?
A [Imran Uddin]: Unfortunately many of the immigrant communities don’t understand the importance of voting. My father and I are both very involved during the election season, trying to get the word out and spread the word that it's very important to get out there and put in your vote. But for many of them, it's not something that concerns them. It's not something that they want to spend five minutes doing because they don’t understand the importance.
The only way to defeat that is to educate them. And that's why I think like Muslims should -- going back to that last question - should be involved in their community and investing in their community for educating not just the children, but the adults as well.
Q [Wiem 2]: How do you think that the Americans perceive the Arab-Americans? Do they see them as Americans or as a minority or as what?
A [Imran Uddin]: That's a hard question to answer just for the mere fact that the United States is a big place. And everywhere you go, each individual community has its own prejudices, whether you're black, whether you're Latino, Arab or South Asian, there are going to be places where people are not going to completely accept you. But there are many places, fortunately, like New York City, where you are very well accepted. You are going to find those handful of people who aren't accepting but then there’s going to be even more people who are going to embrace you.
And that’s something that's not just here in America but you find that throughout the world, between different ethnic groups and tribes and people of different backgrounds, that's just human nature. But where I live in New York City, it seems I haven't had any real problems or noticed any real problems in the Arab-American community. For a lot of them they have been perceived as being Americans. There are some people who may not view that, but they are in the minority.
Comment [Petro]: And thank you for your interesting answers in the chat!
Imran Uddin: You're welcome. It is my pleasure to answer any questions that I can to the best of my ability.
Webchat Moderator: Mr. Uddin's unique journey as a bi-racial first-generation American struggling to take over his father's traditional slaughterhouse business and gain the trust of the immigrant Muslim community in Queens was transformed into the celebrated documentary, "A Sons' Sacrifice." To read more about the documentary please visit: http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2008/August/20080813113620wltsruh0.8899195.html
Q [RISOL/Nablus]: I ask you about your vision for Muslim business.
A [Imran Uddin]: I'm not sure if you’re referring to Muslim businesses as Halal businesses. However, I think it's important for Muslims to be the ones to initiate Halal businesses. There are many slaughter houses here in the United States who are selling supposedly Halal products and its owned and run by non-Muslims.
I feel as a Muslim it's our obligation, it's our birth right, it's our responsibility as Muslims to provide these types of businesses and services to the Muslim community. When we start allowing other groups of people to provide the Muslim community with Halal products, that’s when we know as a people we're doing something wrong because it's our responsibility.
Q [Wiem 2]: Because normally you are carrying on the business of your father who has normally a good reputation there so you may not have a problem.
A [Imran Uddin]: I think if my mother was a born Muslim, if she was not Puerto Rican, then it would be easier. I could say that I shouldn't really have a problem because of my father's reputation, but the fact that my mother is Puerto Rican, people are skeptical. That’s the problem that I face. They wondered, am I more like my father or am I more like my Puerto Rican mother?
Q [Chat]: How long will you work in halal business?
Imran Uddin: I've made this my life journey. Especially once I started, I saw how important it was for the Muslim community -- how much it was necessary for them to be able to have Halal products. Like I said before, being a Muslim it's our responsibility to be able to provide the Muslim community with truly authentic Halal products and not leave it to non-Muslims to provide and cater to the Muslim community. I want to be the person to be able to service my people.
Webchat Moderator: If you would like to identify yourself please tell us who you are and where you are joining us from!
Comment [Raed Hamouri]: This is Raed Hamouri from Palestine; I am a relief international worker in Bethlehem City.
Comment [naveed]: as salam
Q [RISOL/NABLUS 2]: What are the problems that you faced?
A [Imran Uddin]: I have faced several problems. I faced was dealing with my employees accepting me, especially me being younger than the majority of my employees at the time. And also bringing change, they were adjusted to one way of doing things and here I came in with all these changes so they were a little apprehensive initially. Then here I came from working in Manhattan in a suit and tie. I hadn't been in the community because I was away in school. Many of the people weren't familiar with me. They all knew my father but they didn't remember me because the last time they saw me I was a little high school kid on my way off to college. So the challenges I faced was coming back to the community and being accepted once again. Those were the major problems that I faced.
Q [RISOL/NABLUS 2]: Do you really believe that this is a serious problem? As I know there are hundreds of shops in U.S. that sell Halal products and nobody ever talked about it as a problem.
A [Imran Uddin]: I never said it was a problem, it was a challenge. And it was a challenge that I've never had to face before and being that it's such a delicate subject, I had to make sure I did it properly. There are lots of Halal shops in the U.S. that sell Halal products, are all of them authentically Halal? No. And so that's something I am trying to change.
Q [Chat]: What do you like about your business?
A [Imran Uddin]: I like being involved with the community. A vital part of every family is sitting down, having dinner together. And it makes me feel proud to be able to be part of that, that special time of the day where you sit down with the closest people in your life and you share a meal together. That's probably one of the most satisfying feelings that I personally get.
Q [Wiem 2]: What other kind of businesses characterize the Arab-Americans?
A [Imran Uddin]: Here in New York business that characterizes Arab-Americans are a lot of small grocery stores, delis, where you can buy cigarettes and sandwiches and candy. That's what most people would associate Arab-American businesses with. And also gas stations and things like that.
Q [RISOL/NABLUS 2]: What is your vision for your business in the future?
A [Imran Uddin]: I've already started my vision for my business in the future. We are opening up a Usda plant where we'll do poultry packaging to be able to provide poultry meat to supermarkets all over the United States. Eventually I’d also like to go into red meat like supplying supermarkets with beef, lamb and goat packaging. We're getting there slowly but there's a demand for it and Madani has established a reputation in the Muslim community as being something that can be trusted, they don't have to second guess us.
Imran Uddin: I'd like to thank everybody that asked questions today and people who viewed the film or read any of our articles. If anyone has any further questions they can go to my website and there’s an information contact there. They can e-mail me questions. I would be more than happy to answer any other questions that people might have. Thank you. To visit my website please go to: http://www.madanihalal.com
Comment [Wiem 2]: Thank you Mr. Imran for your answers.
Webchat Moderator: We wish to thank Imran Uddin for joining us today.
The webchat is now closed.
A full transcript of today's webchat will be published (usually within one business day) to our Ask America homepage.
(Speakers are chosen for their expertise and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of State.)
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