Amanah.
My bedside alarm rang immediately bringing me to my feet. It was 4:00am "AlhamduliLLaahi ladhi ahyana ba'ada ma a ma'atana wa illayhi nushur." I made my waking up adkaar. Quickly, I dashed into the bathroom to brush my teeth and make wudu'.
After tahajjud, I made my Istikharah again on the job interview with Amjad Solicitors Legal Practice. It was one of the top law firms in Nigeria. Ranking 1st tier in almost all fields. It was my dream job. Allah knows how much it would be convenient working with Amjad Solicitors. The law firm had eleven branches with it's headquarters in Abuja, a branch in Lagos, four branches in other parts of the South and six in other parts of the North. It was an Islamically oriented Law firm. I mean the only one of it's kind in Nigeria. The female Lawyers were allowed to go in their hijabs, and abayas at worst.
I knew I was qualified. More than qualified to be employed at the law firm and it wasn't that I was blowing my own trumpet. I have had great experiences from volunteer works, internships and pupilages. My CV was rich! But Nigeria has never been one to accept based on mere merit lest, three years post call and I was still unable to find an appropriate job. I was also aware that there were lots of people with better qualifications than myself. Hence, I have long learnt to leave everything to The One Who Created Me. If I was patient, I know I would get what I want In Shaa Allah.
After fajr and morning adhkaar, I took a shower and made breakfast. Sophia opened the door to the kitchen. "Assalaam'alaykum Amanah." She greeted while suppressing a yawn.
"Wa'alaykumussalaam wa Rahma dear. Hurry up and pray and come have breakfast. Is Mom awake?" She nodded as she disappeared out the door.
After putting the water to boil, I went to mom's room and tapped on the door. "Assalaam'alaykum Mom." The response came and I went in. Mom was making her morning adhkaar. I gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Are you ready?" She asked, her concerned look unarming me.
I shook my head in earnest. She took my hand in hers. "I know the daughter I raised And it is enough that you always do your best. With Allah as our Aid, you will never be disappointed. Now hurry up and get dressed while will pack the snacks I made last night. You must not be late for your train."
By breakfast, it was already 6:00am leaving me with just forty minutes until my train from departs, With my interview scheduled for 10:30am and my below basic knowledge of Abuja, I had better not be late.
I rushed through my meal and was rushing out the door when Mom called. "Amanah. Don't forget anything. If it is too late to return today, just spend the night at Umm Hanifa's. I will send her contact to you." She reminded.
"Ok. Mom. Bye. Fee AmaniLlah." And I was out. My back-pack was not exactly light. Mom had made certain to load it up with small chops.
Luckily, the Train Station was not too far from my home and I got a keke napep quite fast.
When I arrived, passengers had already started to board my Coach. I presented my ticket at lobby and headed to my seat In the Coach. Seat 103 was right at the window. I loved the window side the most and so had clicked one.
An elderly man in his late 40s with a little 3-years old boy were my seat mates. The man had arrived earlier and was just surfing through his phone while the boy watched 'Wheels On The Bus' on his tablet.
"Assalaam'alaykum Baba." I greeted. He smiled briefly at me in response and continued scrolling through his phone. Oh well. This was going to be a strictly, 'mind-your-business-' trip. I thought sarcastically just as I heard the conductor say it was time to take off. I made my adhkaar for journey and again made my Istikharah for this Job. Sophie always said I abused Istikharah a lot. "It is almost as though you do not trust the one you made before Amanah. Ask Allah once and trust Him." I could literally hear my sister's voice in my head. But then, I do not care. All I know is that the du'a of a wayfarer is never rejected. So, it was a rare opportunity that I never let go to waste.
I was too anxious to sleep, so I took the opportunity to go through the brochure on the Amjad Solicitors LP. I had almost mastered everything about the Law Firm. From Admin, Specializations and Counsel to Awards. Still I kept going through my checklist and soon, our train arrived. Trip to Abuja had never been shorter.
It was my first time arriving at Idu Station. Being in Abuja Metropolis, it was certainly more elegant than Kubwa's. I glanced at my wrist watch which read 8:50am.
"Ina kwana Hajia. Sannu da hanya. Ina zaaki sai nkai ki?" It was a driver offering to drop me at wherever my destination might be. There were several other car drops at the station ready to take a traveler anywhere within Abuja. Only they were not meant for me. If I spent my last 3k on a car drop to Asokoro, how would I return to the station and in time for my 4:00pm train?
But then, if I didn't, being new to Abuja and not knowing anywhere, I could miss my interview or worse, get lost. At least a car drop would drop me right at the heart of my destination and even better, I wouldn't have to have to share seats with non-mahaarim.
Against my better financial sense of judgment, I did take a drop. Thankfully, it was one thousand, eight hundred naira. According to the driver, it was not very far though hard to locate by new bees -which I certainly was-. Whatever the truth, it was better to be cheated than to be sorry.
A while latter, we were on the richly tarred highway of the F.C.T. I was amazed at the tall buildings. Though Kaduna was two hours from Abuja, I was not surprised at the tall buildings or the great walls. I was still admiring the tall estates and well tarred roads with no potholes when I saw a young lady standing in a grey hijab on the highway. Her attempt to stop a car for a lift was fruitless. She had her cell phone to her ears. It was a highway for God sake. Even I knew pedestrians had no business standing there or waiting for a taxi. Perhaps she was stranded. "Can you reverse a little?"
"Hajia, one has to be careful in Abuja o. People might just be looking like they need help, but they might be setting you up..."
"I know, but please stop the car for a moment." I insisted against my rationale self. He just shrugged, reversed and the car. What had I to fear? I did make my morning adkaar, I made my traveling adkaar, I made the adkaar for entering a new town. And now, I put my trust in Allah.
The lady was only too glad to see us. She ran towards our car and seeing me in hijab, smiled. " Assalaam'alaykum. I am sorry to trouble you Sis, but could you please drop me off on the way? I was waiting for my driver to pick me up and I missed the place we were supposed to meet up."
I smiled back. "Wa'alaykumussalaam. Where are you headed Sis? Let's see if the driver knows how to help you."
"My brother's office is just by the express U-Turn in Asokoro. If you could drop me at the U-Turn, I would be grateful."
I turned to the driver to ask if he knew the place. He nodded and I let the woman sit beside me.
"JazzakiL-Laahu khairan. My battery went flat while I was calling my brother and driver. I am so grateful Allah sent you to me."
"Aameen. Wa iyyaki. I am actually new to Abuja. If not for the driver, I doubt I would have been able to help you." I never took credit that was not mine.
She looked at the driver gratefully and said "Thank you Sir." She was really humble. Who thanked drivers these days? "By the way I am Amanah" I introduced myself.
"I am Sumayyah. How long will you be staying in Abuja? I promise to take you around when you are free, In shaa Allah."
"Thank you Sis, but I am just here for a job interview and will be returning to Kaduna today In Shaa Allah."
"Really? No wonder you don't know anywhere here. How is EL-Rufai? I hear he is one stubborn Governor."
I smiled. She does not strike me as one to like politics, but then didn't I also get the same judgment from people? "Yes he is. But it sure has paid off in some areas."
"I agree with you. Especially in our so-called democracy. I sincerely pray that Allah grant all our leaders the wisdom to rule efficiently."
"Aameen Ya Rabb." Was my response. Again she unarmed me with her concluding remark. Like myself, she was a struggling Muslimah and the fact that she did not go outright into blaming the government or taking their side amazed me. It was a rare sight in our current time.
"This is the U-Turn." The driver announced.
"Ok. Thank you. May I have your contact then? I often visit an aunt in Kaduna. Maybe, you will show me around when I come over?" Summayah asked, reaching into her bag for a piece of paper since her phone battery had died.
I gave her my contacts and we said our goodbyes when she came down. She was really nice. Perhaps, someone I wouldn't mind being friends with.
"Hajia, we are at Amjad Solicitors." The driver announced again. Even if he hadn't, there was no way I would miss it. A huge black and white billboard reading 'Amjad Solicitors' was at the entrance of a very long walk way and the Slogan "We are not only interested in your disputes, we want your harmonies too.' was scribed underneath the firm's name.
It was a gigantic estate with the name Amjad & Partners. The mosaic walls were high and expensively tiled. The fencing were of French quality and style. A door man waited at the door. Everything about the exterior of the estate screamed MONEY. If I didn't know better, I would think I were not in Nigeria. I suddenly felt out of place.
"Hajia." I was jolted back to reality by the driver. I paid him, got my change and stepped out. Quickly, I glanced at my wrist watch. It was 10:20am. In the end, I was almost late. I kept thanking Allah for not letting me think about my finances at the train station.
"Assalaam'alaykum. You are welcome to Amjad Solicitors. The doorman said as he ushered me in. "The Reception is just straight ahead".
"Wa'alaykumussalaam wa RahmatuLlah. Thank you." And I did walk right straight ahead. The firm was bustling with people in black, white, grey and blue suits and hijabs. It makes me feel a little at home. But I didn't have the time to admire my surroundings right now. I was already late as it was. At the reception, I was directed to interview room 7.
When I arrived, it was crowded with interviewees like myself. There were enough seats available and so it was easy to find myself a corner just in time to hear a man in grey suit say "Assalaam'alaykum everyone. Ok. Listen up. I am your interview coordinator. The interview begins in exactly five minutes In Shaa Allah. The rules are simple. Your phones should be on silent mode or better, off. When your interview number is called, you send the hard copy of your resume through that post." He gestured to the end of the wall by my right. "The personnel on the other side will send it to your interviewer's table. You have six interviewers. All from the different specializations we advertised vacancies for. When you have been interviewed, you pack your bags and leave the firm. You will get a response from Amjad Solicitors within the next 24 hours In Shaa Allah. BarakAllaahu feekum."
"Aameen. Wa feek." I murmured, my heart beginning to pound in earnest to pound in earnest. The card numbers were not called in any particular order. And that scared me the more. Each time an interviewee walked out of the interview room, I clutched my file so tightly that I felt my fingers go numb.
"Assalaam'alaykum. I am Ruqayyah." A lady greeted coming to sit beside me.
"Wa'alaykumussalaam Wa RahmatuLlah. Amanah." Even as I answered, my eyes were glued to the interview room's door.
"Nervous much?"
"You can tell?"
"My dear, anyone with eyes can." She answered chuckling. "You might want to let go of your file. poor thing's only crime was being purchased by you." Her beautiful big eyes glowed with sarcasm.
I took her advice and gave a small smile, now turning to look at the lady. She was pretty. No. Beautiful. She was fair, chubby, large eyes and long pointed nose. The perfect look of a healthy Fulani Aje butter. Her chubby cheeks gave away little dimples as she smiled back. TabarakAllaahu Ahsanal Khaliqeen. I silently praised Allah, the best of Creators.
"First interview?"
I shook my head. "Third. You?"
"This will be my first In Shaa Allah."
"You seem quite calm. I really wish I had that."
"Sis, ignore what you see. It isn't real o. This is not the inside content." She gestured towards her outer appearance.
At that, I laughed and the tension eased. "You are quite funny. What tribe are you?"
"Fulani from Taraba. Didn't my accent give me away?"
"Maybe a little. So did your beautiful look. Ma Sha Allah." She just smiled. Apparently used to complements.
"You are even more beautiful. I did mistake you for shuwa when you walked into the reception, until I heard you speak. Tell me. Where are you from?"
Beautiful and humble too. Ma shaa Allah. I noted silently. "Now, that is a first. People usually said I looked like the Fulanis, but I am Ebira from Okene, Kogi State."
Somehow, she didn't look surprised. "True. You could easily pass for my people, if you knew the language. I knew some Ebiras back in school. You are really wonderful and fun-to-be-around people." That warmed my heart a lot. I would have to admit, besides being beautiful, she had a way with warming herself into one's heart.
We kept charting about the differences and similarities in our ethnic groups. We moved from one topic to another without end. It was as though we had known each other for a while. By the time my number was called, I was completely relaxed. "Do not forget your Adhkaar. Rabbishrahli Sadri helps a lot." Ruqayyah reminded.
"In Shaa Allah. JazzakiL-Laahu Khairan." I said as I rushed into the room, chanting my adhkaar.
*****
Ahmad
From my office, I watched the CCTV from the Interview waiting room, I knew i should not stare. For all I knew, she could be another man's wife. Yet, I knew that was exactly what I was doing. Staring. I reminded myself that she was a woman, A non-mahram and I should be lowering my gaze, but even as I made my Istighfar, I still watched her through the monitor. Who was she? Why did she seem so familiar? And why did i feel like protecting her so much? There was a tap on the door and I responded without looking away from the monitor. "Come in Zayyad."
Zayyad walked in, giving the tasleem. After my response, he began passing a folder to me. "Her name is Amanah Sa'eed, an Orphan, lives with her foster family in Kinkinau, Kaduna. Graduate of ABU, Zaria, BL was in Lagos Campus. She is now three years post call sir." Zayyad said handing a file to me.
I looked at Zayyad expecting him to give me the main piece I wanted to hear from his findings.
"She is single Sir and seem to have had a very good reputation both at the University and Law School. He added and I released a pent-up breath I had not known I was holding until that moment.
"Amanah." I tested the name in my mouth and unconsciously, I smiled. What a distinguished name. "Tell them to report to me the second the interview is done, In Shaa Allah."
If Zayyad was surprised, he did a good job of hiding it. If he wondered what was so special about this Amanah girl, he didn't ask. It was a question even I was curious about. I wanted to know too, why I could not get her off my mind since I saw walk into the building.
My phone buzzed and I dismissed Zayyad. "Yes, Wa'alaykumussalaam Wa RahmatuLlah Summayah." The lady from the other end was so excited as she gave me another pleasant piece. "Is it?" "I see" "In Shaa Allah!" I dropped my phone and smiled to myself watching as Amanah walked into Interview room 7. Just then, Farid opened my door in reminder of our meeting with the Partners. I stood, took another glance at the monitor, picked up my jacket and walked out of the office smiling to myself. It was her. Amanah Sa'eed. I will make my Istikharah and then make the next move In Shaa Allah.
***