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By: Professor Dr Yudi Fernando, Dr Azian Ibrahim, Dr Noorizan Mat Saad, Dr Syed Radzi Rahamdulla, Dr Mohd Ghazali Maarof
Ustaz Jamaluddin bin Abdul Jabbar and his wife, Ustazah Umee Ruziani binti Ab Ghani are the founders of Maahad Tahfiz Al-Baraqah Integrasi Quran (MABIQ), a distinctive social enterprise established in 2007 that seamlessly integrates education and business to sustain its operations. Ustazah Umi, who graduated in Actuarial Science and later completed studies in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), married Ustaz Jamal, who worked as an officer at Yayasan Pahang. The inspiration for the Maahad, which formally started with just three orphans, came in 2005 after Ustazah Umee finished her TESL studies, aiming to provide free Islamic studies focusing on Quranic studies, Fiqh, and secular education to orphans and underprivileged families. Ustaz Jamal, finding relief in establishing the Maahad despite his challenges at Yayasan Pahang, used his salary to support the operation initially, including teacher salaries and student meals. Due to significant financial constraints arising from the increasing number of students, the couple leveraged their family backgrounds in small businesses to open a small restaurant beside their land in 2010, where all profits are directed toward the Maahad to fund its operational needs. Ustazah Umee and Ustaz Jamal's perseverance allowed MABIQ to persist through early challenges, including financial losses and a lack of managerial expertise, eventually expanding the restaurant, which became well-known across Malaysia for its authentic traditional Pahang cuisine, such as ikan patin masak tempoyak and daging salai.
Q1: You both have very diverse academic and professional backgrounds—Ustazah Umee in Actuarial Science and TESL, and Ustaz Jamal previously working at Yayasan Pahang. What was the core inspiration behind establishing MABIQ, and how did your Maahad Tahfiz begin?
The inspiration to establish the Maahad Tahfiz came in 2005, shortly after Ustazah Umee completed her studies in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). Initially, we had the noble aim of providing free Islamic studies to orphans and underprivileged families, focusing on Quranic studies, Fiqh, and secular education. We started formally in 2007 with just three orphans, but that number quickly grew. For Ustaz Jamal, establishing the Maahad offered relief from the challenges he faced while still working at Yayasan Pahang. Furthermore, his experience studying in Indonesia was influential, as many graduates there opened their own schools or businesses, inspiring him to combine religious and entrepreneurial values.
Q2: MABIQ operates a dual-function model, combining an educational institution with a commercial restaurant. Why did you decide to diversify into the food business, and how does the restaurant ensure the Maahad's financial survival?
Sustaining the religious school solely through our personal funds and donations became challenging, especially as the number of students increased. Financial constraints were significant. This led to the idea of opening a restaurant to sustain the Maahad financially. We started a small, modest restaurant (about 20x10 feet) beside our land in 2010. The key principle is that all profits from the restaurant are directed toward the Maahad to fund its operational needs, including teacher salaries and student meals. This self-sustaining model enables MABIQ to provide free Quranic and secular education to orphans and underprivileged students while ensuring financial stability.
Q3: Running a community developer model that spans education, da'wah, and commercial food supply chain management must present unique difficulties. What were some of the most challenging aspects of the business side of MABIQ during its early years?
We did have an entrepreneurial background—Ustaz Jamal’s parents owned a coffee shop, and Ustazah Umee’s family also ran small businesses—which helped us manage the restaurant. However, the struggles extended beyond just da'wah. The most challenging part was addressing business problems we had not mastered before. This required considerable effort, knowledge, and experience, especially in managing the food supply chain. This includes ensuring the freshness of food ingredients, managing operational costs, and maintaining supplier support. Additionally, we faced initial uncertainties, financial losses, and even unscrupulous business dealings due to a lack of managerial expertise.
Q4: Your restaurant has built a strong reputation across Malaysia. What is MABIQ’s culinary specialty, and what steps do you take to ensure the quality and authenticity of these dishes?
We specialize in traditional Pahang cuisine. We are well-known for authentic traditional dishes, particularly ikan patin masak tempoyak (silver catfish in fermented durian paste) and daging salai (smoked beef). To ensure quality, our vendor management strategy includes seeking suppliers who adhere to strict standards, such as sourcing fresh ikan patin directly from river cage farms, which produce tastier fish. We also require fresh, newly harvested asam keping (dried sour fruit) for the ikan patin dish. Furthermore, because tempoyak (fermented durian paste) is a vital ingredient, we must source high-quality durian, typically from Johor and Pahang, during its two seasons a year. We also mandate that all suppliers and ingredients possess a halal certificate to foster trust and confidence among our patrons.
Q5: MABIQ operates on a debt-free model, relying on reinvesting restaurant profits. How does this fiscal constraint impact your supply chain logistics, and what are your strategic plans to overcome these limitations?
Our debt-free model, while fiscally conservative, leads to limited capital. This financial constraint limits our ability to invest in supply chain improvements, such as purchasing dedicated vehicles for halal logistics. Currently, we are forced to share transport vehicles between the Maahad (transporting students) and the restaurant (transporting fresh fish), which poses hygiene risks and affects the freshness of perishable items due to potential cross-contamination. To overcome this, we are slowly implementing competitive strategies, such as applying for grants on Islamic Microfinance. Our strategic plans include establishing a centralized kitchen to ensure consistent food quality and simpler logistics, and acquiring dedicated halal-certified transport vehicles to eliminate contamination risks and enhance food safety. We are also seeking capital investment from governments or Halal business grants to prioritize these logistics enhancements.
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