From 1971 to 1977, Mr. Ahamed was the Founding Chairman of the Kerala State Rural Development Board. From 1979 to 1980 he was the Executive Chairman of the Kerala State Small Scale Industries Development Corporation. From 1981 to 1983 he was the Chairman of the Municipal Council in Kannur, Kerala.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009. May 2004 – May 2009 he served as the Minister of State for External Affairs. May 2009 – January 2011, he was Minister of State for Railways. He assumed charge again as Minister of State of External Affairs on January 24, 2011. Mr. Ahamed assumed the additional charge as Minister of State for Human Resource Development on 12th July, 2011.
Mr. Ahamed was the National President of the Indian Union Muslim League. During his tenure in the Parliament, he has been a member of several parliamentary committees including External Affairs, Railways, Civil Aviation and Tourism, Public Undertakings, Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. Mr. Ahamed was also the Chairman of the Government Assurance Committee.
