All across the world, including the USA, the Dawoodi Bohras are prospering under the leadership and guidance of our Maula Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS). Despite the difficult climate for Muslims, the community of American Dawoodi Bohras emerged stronger and more resilient after Maula (TUS) recently visited America to inaugurate three masjids. The following are excerpts from an interview with one Mansoor Zainul Bhai who had the fortune to be closely involved in organizing the recent visit of Aqa Maula (TUS) to the US. Adil Zainulbhai is currently a Director of McKinsey & Company, Inc. in the Mumbai, India office. He moved back to India in July 2004 after 24 years with McKinsey in the United States. Since joining McKinsey in 1979, he has worked for a wide range of companies and industries on a variety of strategic, organizational, marketing, financing issues. He is a Board member of the Indian CEO High Tech Council, The Indus Entrepreneurs, the American India Foundation, and the Indian American Policy Institute.

What was your reason for migrating to the US?

I graduated from IIT Bombay in 1977 and left to go to Harvard Business School. At that time, just after the Emergency in India, the prospects within India were not very attractive, and I followed the road taken by a majority of my classmates in moving to the US.

How has the American influence affected your culture and priorities?

For many years, the focus for us was in establishing ourselves in the US and becoming successful in our careers. 20 years ago there were very few mumineen in the US and the jamaats were not very organized. So the majority of our time was spent in pursuing economic success. Over the years as the jamaats were organized and madrasas were started by the jamaats, we became more involved in deen.

Maula's (TUS) most recent trip to the US was historic in terms of the sheer political interaction which took place and you were fortunate to be closely involved. Who were the dignitaries who met with Maula (TUS)?

Maula's (TUS) personality attracted many; several people came to receive Syedna's (TUS) blessings. In each city he was greeted by leading figures - to name just a few: several Congressmen, Mayors, City Council members, Majority Leaders, Senators, and numerous ambassadors. The visit was widely covered in the newspapers and on TV. Maula (TUS) received letters of welcome from President George Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Governor Perry of Texas, Governor Ehrlich of Maryland, Governor Warner of Virginia, Governor McGreavey of New Jersey, Governor Pataki of New York and many others.

How was the community able to achieve all this?

Prior to Maula's (TUS) visit, through the instructions of Shehzadas, various members of the community started getting more active in the political circle. Over a period of months, by attending political functions in libaas ul anwar, we became a familiar and recognizable group. Most of the politicians were impressed with the success of the Bohra community, while still maintaining its deen and traditions. They were eager to help us and wanted to meet Maula (TUS) under whose direction all this had been achieved. Everyone who met Maula (TUS) came away deeply touched. This will help the community immensely in the future. On the financial side, the community has reaped the barakat of giving zakaat and contributing to masjid funds.

How would you describe Maula's (TUS) trip to the US this year and its effects on the mumineen settled there in the midst of the atmosphere surrounding Muslims in the West?

The trip was historic - 3 masjids (New Jersey, Boston and Washington) were inaugurated. Thousands of people came to the iftetah of each masjid - close to 2/3rd of the Dawoodi Bohra population of the US and Canada received the honor of deeedar and qadambosi of Maula (TUS). It had a profound effect on the mumineen and particularly the children, many of whom had never done qadmabosi before. Maula (TUS) left the US Bohra community stronger and yearning for his presence again. The visit has also given the Bohras confidence that they can retain their faith and traditions and yet succeed in the US.