Abdul-Samad is the founder and CEO of Creative Visions Human Development Institute, a nonprofit organization in Des Moines.

As of May 2013[update], Abdul-Samad serves on the Iowa House Administration and Rules, Education, Human Resources, and Public Safety committees.

He also serves on the Health and Human Services Committee of the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments.

[5] In February 2024, Abdul-Samad announced that he would retire at the end of his current term.

[6] *incumbent During the legislative session of 2017, Abdul-Samad voted[15] against cutting $70.1 million from the department for the Blind, the College Student Aid Commission, the Department of Education, and the Board of Regents.