Following interview of Bahen Lamya Khairullah, Houston, by Mudar Patherya:

 

In the life of a young mumena who has found a job in the USA and wants to stay on to better her life, there is no more demoralizing prospect than being sent back.

 

I faced this threat twice over.

 

* In 2001, after Enron (the company I worked for) became bankrupt, I continued working there but a year later when I came to India to look after my father (unwell), I was required to get my visa re-stamped. Sure enough it was rejected as Enron was declared bankrupt. So here I was, stuck in Calcutta, tried a number of things but nothing worked, so finally sent an email arzi to Aqa Maula asking for his intercession. Within a week, my visa was accepted and I was back in the USA. Phew.  

 

* In January 2007, there was a major layoff at my company Lexicon but I survived. In a short while, layoff rumours started again and as I did not even have my first step cleared for the green card, my lawyer indicated that I may have to restart the process and lose three years of my application process. Very demoralizing. Three years of US presence coming to naught. Lost, I sent an email arzi to Aqa Maula asking if I should leave the country completely. Huzurala replied: ‘Continue with the job.’ Within a month my first step was cleared; in two months, the US immigration office opened up all visas and I got my EAD, implying that I could now work without a visa.

 

Small incidents? Maybe. But had it not been for Huzurala, I would have been god knows where doing god knows what.

 

This is the importance that Huzurala has in the life of an ordinary mumena living alone with no direct access to him.

 

I have two words for him. Support system.

 

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