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ICCI
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you
were looking for help using the ICCI online directories, such as the yellow pages, please click here.
About ICCI
Q: How large is ICCI_
A: Most of our very modest activities so far have been with the effort
of a handful of brothers and sisters. We have had a half-time executive secretary
for most of the last 2 years. However, we have already received
requests from LA, Detroit and even South Africa to help them set up
similar organizations.
Q: What is the background of the people running ICCI_
A: Please see the website section Why Join ICCI to know
more about the goals, organization, Board of Directors, volunteer executive committee
members
of ICCI. Other than the Board of Directors, most of us, we have little
or no experience in business or marketing or sales. The only reason we are
involved helping in ICCI is because nobody else was willing to do it,
and we considered it as a very important activity that must be done. Al-hamd-u
L-Illah, wa are finally about to hire our first full time Executive
Director, to be able to start to function as a professional organization soon,
in-shaa Allah.
Q: What is the mission of ICCI_
A: The mission of ICCI is To Help Build the Economic Strength of
. Since we need wealth to feed the hungry, help the needy, to have
jobs
without relying on non-Muslims, to build our Masjids, schools and
community centers, become financially independent etc., it becomes an Islamic duty
on
the entire community to do what needs to be done to achieve all
these necessities.
ICCI is dedicated to help strengthen the community by
strengthening Muslim-owned businesses, and to encourage and help more and more
Muslims to get into
business. ICCI also works to help advancement of Muslims in corporate
and professional careers:
Our goal is to earn the pleasure of Allah (swt) by serving Islam and
Muslims in the following ways:
1. Promote and help cooperation among Muslims and Muslim
businesses.
2. Promote and help the establishment of new Muslim businesses.
3. Help in finding and developing business opportunities for
Muslims.
4. Help advancement of Muslim employees in their careers.
5. Provide services that effectively utilize the pooled resources of
Muslims.
6. Promote and help establishment of Islamic financial institutions.
7. Promote and help in trade and other business cooperation with
Islamic countries.
Our objectives are:
o To become a financially independent model community that is the
best example for other communities, as we are enjoined to be by Allah (swt).
o To help solve many of the moral, social, and economic problems that
are plaguing our community and country.
Q: Don't you feel promoting both AMWAY & ICCI a conflict of
interest for your chief office bearer_ How does ICCI view it_
A: ICCI encourages Muslims to get into Business, which is the sunnah
of the Messenger of Allah (ASWS). Muslims have always traded with, bought from
and sold to non-Muslims, and that includes the Messenger of Allah
himself (ASWS). The Amway Business is a distribution business for a non-Muslim
Corporation, which is no different than a Gas Station or most any
other franchise, grocery store, etc. We are not aware of any Islamic objections
to this kind of business. The involvement of some of the ICCI executive
committee members in Amway is primarily to encourage Muslims to get into
business part time, if they cannot get into business fulltime. There is
no restriction on Board Members or executive staff from having there own
business, in fact this is a requirement for Board Members who must
be Business Members.
Q: Is ICCI controlled by two Muslim brothers_ Is ICCI a
democratic organization or an autocratic org_ Sure feels like a dictatorship from
the
outside....
A: ICCI is controlled by our Board of Directors:
Amr Mohsen, Ph.D., Chairman
CEO, Aptix Corp., San Jose, CA
Azzam Abdo
Vice President and General Manager, CaLogic Corp., Fremont, CA
Mace Abdullah
Principal, Law Office of Mace Abdullah, San Francisco, CA
Zain Jeewanjee
President, Zain Jeewanjee Insurance, San Jose, CA
Yahia Abdel Rahman
Chairman, AFH LARIBA, Pasadena, CA
Hesham Zeitoon
President, Compustar, Santa Cruz, CA
Ali Zaki, M.D.
Private Practice, OB/GYN, San Jose, CA
The executive director and committee report to the Board, which is
solely responsible for approving and overseeing all activities of ICCI.
Q: Does ICCI provide any REAL, TANGIBLE, & documented benefits
to the community besides the Sunday morning sessions_
A: All ICCI activities have been carried by a handful of volunteers
so far, with a half-time executive secretary for the last 2 years. While still
very modest, we feel we have at least started a skeleton of main
activities which can be developed with a full time staff to become a valuable
professional organization, in-shaa Allah:
Internet Muslim Business Directory: 120 Business categories, 200
Businesses listed. Only one of its kind in the US, to our knowledge.
Business referrals: Started getting requests even from Malaysia, Hong
Kong, Turkey and Russia.
Monthly breakfast seminars: Continuous series of over 50 monthly
meetings to date (6/01), including promotions of Amana Mutual Funds, Ameen
Housing
Coop, MSI, LaRiba, as well as lessons from many experienced and
successful business owners and entrepreneurs.
Employment Services: First Job Fair in April '98 drew about 15
employers and 200 job seekers. 3 job offers were accepted on same day. Website now
being
updated weekly.
Stocks to Watch: By Arshad Khan, updated weekly on our website.
Discounts from many Member businesses: For Business and Associate
Members.
Printed business directory: Only printed once so far due to large
expense.
Functional committees: Trying to start a Software Committee as our
first.
Business trips and trade delegations: Three trips to Malaysia so far.
Monthly Newsletter: 13 issues published to date (6/01) in print and
on website.
Group discounts on insurance, travel, retail, merchandise, etc. (in
planning).
Business fairs and trade shows (in planning).
Please see other activities in process or planning on our website.
Q: How does a person's political/religious (within the
Islamic framework) affililiations, national origin, gender, race affects ICCI
membership/participation_
A: All Muslims who believe in Qur'an and Sunna are welcome on an
equal basis.
Q: Does ICCI have any REALISTIC plans about helping the Muslims
to become self sufficient_
A: This is our primary objective, and we believe we have started
the skeleton organization that can act as a catalyst for this purpose, in-shaa
Allah. The activities listed above need to be developed by a full
time staff, and supported by a volunteer staff. The main strategy has been
placed as 3-points:
o Circulate our wealth in our community.
o Build more and stronger businesses.
o Help employees become more successful in their careers.
We know we have only taken the first step in a long journey, but may
Allah (SWT) help us, in-shaa Allah.
Q: Any ACHIEVABLE (in the near term) schemes that can BENEFIT the
Bay Area moslems_ Every small step moves towards the destination...
A: ICCI is primarily a networking and catalyst organization.
We believe that our website directory, seminars, job fairs, etc. are beginning
to build awareness and momentum to bring Muslims closer and more
willing to cooperate and buy from one another. There is no short cut to this process,
only more organized and dedicated full time professional and tireless
effort.
Q: It has been three or four years since ICCI inception and
we still see that same level of disorganization and chaos prevailing at ICCI.
Asking for handouts for a chamber of commerce supposedly representing
the largest deen is shameful and reflects ineffectiveness.
A: We feel that a small and humble effort is better than no effort.
The few brothers and sisters who have been working to maintain ICCI at this low
effort actually put quite a bit of their available time for this
purpose. But this is still way below what is needed, and the Board has finally
agreed
to hire our first full time Exec. Director in the near future,
in-shaa Allah. All Chambers of Commerce we are aware of solicit donations on a
regular basis to maintain the services required.
Q: The only achievement for ICCI being the membership directory
(in fact put together by an EX-officebearer). It is rumored that the
officebearer was fired by ONE brother due to personality conflicts. Is
it true_
A: The sister who helped us put the printed directory together was
hired only as a consultant for this purpose. She did a good job for the
directory,
but had disagreements with the Board regarding staying on as full time.
We now believe that the website directory is probably more effective than the
printed directory.
Q: Or is ICCI, sadly, just like other Muslim community
ventures that feed on the community resources without any benefits or
accountability
to the community.
A: We have had 2 annual meetings with financial reports presented
to our Members, and describing our modest achievements, plans, goals and hopes.
Br. Ahmad Nasser is our Treasurer, if you have any questions. Please
attend our next annual meeting (planned for late '01) if you would like to get a
closer
look and better understanding of ICCI. Or please join our
executive committee as a volunteer if you think it is important for our community
to
build our economic strength. We need all the help and ideas we can get.
Q: How do we give ICCI feedback such as suggestions or complaints_
A: The Messenger of Allah said that Religion is (sincere)
advice.
ICCI strongly welcomes and encourages everyone in our community to help
us with any sincere questions, comments, suggestions or complaints.
Please feel free to contact us by email, phone, fax or mail, and let us
know if you would like to meet with the executive committee or the Board of
Directors. Meetings are usually open to all community members who
give us prior notice to attend.
Jazaakum Allah-u khairunn, wa-s-salaam-u alaikum.
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