Omar Faisal
Omar Faisal is a chubby, dark-skinned lawyer with dimpled cheeks, black button eyes, and an affable, gap-toothed smile. His thinning gray hair is tied back in a ponytail, and he wears a brown corduroy suit with leather elbow patches, carrying a worn, overstuffed briefcase whose handle is missing. He speaks perfect English without a trace of an accent, and his manner is apologetic and self-deprecating, often beginning sentences with a laugh and an unnecessary apology. He was born in Karachi but lived in Kabul for several years, near the Haji Yaghoub Mosque, and grew up in Berkeley, California, where his father opened a music store in the late 1960s; he even attended Woodstock. This bicultural background gives him a unique perspective on both American and Afghan realities.
Role in the Adoption Process
Raymond Andrews, the American embassy official who had initially discouraged Amir, referred him to Faisal. Faisal insisted on coming to Amir's hotel in Islamabad rather than having Amir come to his office, explaining that taxi drivers overcharge foreigners. When he arrived, he opened his briefcase on the bed, spilling papers, and began taking notes on a yellow legal pad. Amir gave him the uncensored version of events, including the meeting with Rahim Khan, the trek to Kabul, the orphanage, the stoning at Ghazi Stadium, the confrontation with Assef, and Sohrab's use of the slingshot. Faisal listened soberly, then gave a realistic assessment: the adoption faced a tough battle, not impossible but hardly likely. He explained that current immigration laws, adoption agency policies, and the political situation in Afghanistan were stacked against Amir. He detailed the need for death certificates to prove Sohrab was an orphan, the difficulty of getting cooperation from a country in turmoil, and the fact that Islamic law (Shari'a) does not recognize adoption, making even moderate Muslim nations hesitant. He also noted that no reasonable adoption agency would send an agent to Afghanistan to evaluate the child's milieu.
Advice and Options
Faisal outlined several options for Amir. He could file an orphan petition and hope for the best, do an independent adoption requiring two years of living in Pakistan, seek asylum on Sohrab's behalf (a lengthy process requiring proof of political persecution), or request a humanitarian visa (at the discretion of the attorney general and not easily given). His best advice was to relinquish Sohrab to an orphanage in Pakistan, then file an orphan petition and start the I-600 form and home study while the boy was in a safe place. Amir rejected this option because he had promised Sohrab he would not send him back to an orphanage. Faisal acknowledged that this might be Amir's best shot but did not press the point. When Amir asked if he could win, Faisal replied, "At the risk of sounding like Raymond Andrews, it's not likely. Not impossible, but hardly likely." He also noted that Amir's being Muslim and a half-uncle helped his case "some, but not much."
Significance and Final Impression
Despite his grim prognosis, Faisal's demeanor was not discouraging. As he left, he told Amir, "I meant to tell you in there, about what you're trying to do? I think it's pretty great." This affirmation, coming from a lawyer who had just laid out the near-impossible odds, provided a crucial moment of moral support. Faisal's role is that of a pragmatic realist who does not sugarcoat the legal and bureaucratic barriers but also does not abandon Amir to despair. He represents the institutional obstacles that stand between Amir and his quest for redemption, yet his personal warmth and his own history—growing up in Berkeley, attending Woodstock, living in Kabul—make him a sympathetic figure who understands both the American dream and the Afghan tragedy. His advice, while discouraging, is accurate and prepares Amir for the long, uncertain struggle ahead. Ultimately, Faisal's presence in the narrative underscores the theme that redemption is not simply a matter of personal courage but must navigate a world of laws, policies, and systems that are indifferent to individual suffering.
