Sanadin Kenan Part 2 Complete Hausa Novel

They arrived in Ji-kas lafiya, a town under Gwaram Local Government in Jigawa State. Hajiya’s husband, Malam Halilu, was the chief imam of Ji-kas, so Hajiya’s house was not hidden or unknown. Besides, the renovations Ma’arouf had done to it had made it a model home; if one were to describe it, they would call it Hajiya Saude’s White House, as though she alone had a house and no co-wife existed.

Hajiya had not given birth again after Ma’arouf’s birth. That, however, was Allah’s decree, and it never made Malam Halilu change his attitude toward her, not even once, because he already had eight sons, all boys, whom he had with his henna-wife, Lami, and who were studying under Ma’arouf’s care. He had never minded Hajiya’s frequent travels to Aisha’s place. Even now that she was caring for her granddaughter, he did not object.

There was a very good understanding between them. It was not that her co-wife Lami did not feel jealousy; it was simply that “the camel’s tail was far from the ground” — meaning the matter was beyond her reach. In truth, both she and even their husband seemed to live under Hajiya’s shadow, so she chose to make peace with herself, bow her head, and enjoy her comfort in peace.

The neighborhood children were jumping around in excitement that Hajiya had returned, because they knew gifts of chocolate had arrived. They hurriedly carried her luggage from the car and dropped it at the door of her room. She unlocked and opened her room; it was very dusty — after all, she had been away for forty-two days, not just two. She did not know what to say to them, since she had come straight from the hospital and had brought no sweets today. So she told her servant Tambai to clean the room, and she dismissed the children with some money, telling them to go and buy sweets for themselves. She then went into the inner compound, took a bath, and performed the Asr prayer, which had caught up with them on the road. She lay down to rest while Tambai told her all that had happened in her absence — naming ceremonies, weddings, and deaths. Hajiya sympathized and said that once she had rested, she would visit them all, although she would only stay three days, since Aminatu was still in the hospital.

Tambai served her some light food. Lami came in, and they greeted each other, and she too brought her own little bowl of food. Hajiya thanked her and sat talking about Amina’s condition. While they were at it, Malam Halilu returned and found them there.

“So, it turns out we have an important guest today?”

That was the first thing he said, all smiles. It was obvious he was happy to see his wife.

She said, “Here I am, though I will not be staying long. I will go back, because Manzo’s mother is still lying in the hospital bed.”

He said, “Ah! Allah sarki, my mother, may Allah grant her more healing. So when will you go back then?”

When Lami saw that they had forgotten about her presence, she quietly left and gave them space, jealousy eating at her heart. For whenever their husband was this cheerful, one could be sure it was in Hajiya Saude’s presence.

After the Isha prayer, he returned from the mosque and ate dinner — all in Hajiya’s room, since she would be the one to serve him. She then told him about what had come up during the day: the urgent search for a wife for Ma’arouf.

Malam Halilu listened to the end and nodded.

“Call him for me. Let us speak right now. There is a mistake in this matter.”

Hajiya brought out a large cellular phone — the kind used in those days, though only the wealthy could afford one. She dialed Ma’arouf’s number.

He was in a discussion room with members of the Nigerian assembly and had forgotten to switch off his mobile phone. Hajiya’s call came in under the name he had saved for her: MA MÈRE, meaning my mother in French. He stepped outside to answer because, no matter his excuse, he never ignored Hajiya’s call.

“Here, Imam wants to speak with you.”

He took the phone and exchanged greetings with the Malam.

The Imam asked him, “If you are busy, we can wait until you get home and are at ease.”

“It is nothing. We are done now. Everyone is about to leave.”

The Imam said, “Very well.

I hear that you and your mother are planning to do something foolish. Marriage is not a thing for play, nor is it a child’s game. It is a command from Allah, so the intention behind it must be purified.

You want to say you will marry for politics, and such a marriage is not acceptable before Allah. Place sincerity in your heart — that you are marrying for the sake of Allah, not for political gain. Then you should see the woman three times, so as to be sure of her sound health, as the Messenger (peace be upon him) instructed. You should speak with one another, come to an understanding, the bride-price should be paid, and then a wedding date should be set — that is marriage. But not for you to say she should just come and find you a wife while you remain unconcerned, without even seeing the woman. Such a marriage is not valid.”

He went on citing Qur’anic verses and hadiths that pointed to the need to purify one’s heart in marriage and not enter it for some worldly objective.

Ma’arouf’s whole body trembled. He loved the old man, if only because he always exposed the truth of one’s heart before Allah. He was not like those scholars who issued self-serving fatwas in exchange for gifts.

He said, “Malam, I intend to marry with a sincere heart. Choose any kind of woman for me, and I will come so that we may see each other. But I cannot choose by myself, because it would feel to me as though I were betraying A’isha.”

Those last words filled the Imam with pity. Even he himself was shaken by A’isha’s departure from this earth, and he had often wondered where Ma’arouf would ever find another woman like her. But he quickly pushed the thought aside and said,

“Allah will look upon his good heart and noble character and grant him a righteous woman like her, or even better.”

“There is no betrayal in it, Ma’arouf. A’isha would want you to find peace after her passing. You have not neglected her memory. Now I have heard your mind. We will make inquiries, and in sha Allah, Allah will look upon your heart and your kindness toward everyone and give you a good wife.”

The next day, Hajiya and her husband completed their thinking carefully. They settled on the district head’s daughter from Ji-kas, who was studying at Jigawa University. Her wedding date had already been fixed some months earlier, but the groom had later broken off the engagement. In Hajiya’s and Baba Liman’s view, it would be more suitable to find Ma’arouf a city-bred girl with modern education, not one of their village girls. They believed Ma’arouf would prefer that.

That same following evening, Hajiya prepared herself and personally went to the district head’s house, rather than sending someone. The Imam, meanwhile, went to the girl’s father. Each stated the purpose of the visit, and both received the same response. They had three daughters — Sadiya, Laila, and Asiya. Whichever one they wanted could be given to Ma’arouf without delay.

Hajiya and the Imam also gave the same response: they wanted the one who was in the university. They were told that was Laila. Then they said, “May Allah make it happen in goodness.”

Only Laila’s mother did not hold back her excitement. She danced in the middle of her room — her daughter had been chosen for the wealthy son of Hajiya Saude of the White House. At once jealousy flared up, because there were three wives, each with an unmarried daughter: Asiya and Sadiya too, though they had only just finished secondary school that year. Yet it was the university girl who had been chosen over them. It hurt them deeply.

As for Laila, she had never lacked boldness or shameless wit. Hearing of the husband Allah had brought her in broad daylight, after Mahadi had broken off her engagement because of accusations that she mingled too freely with many young men, she said to her mother, “So, we have finally advanced this far?”

Her mother replied, “A roadside fire in Jos, indeed!”

She playfully slapped her hand against hers, and the two embraced in joy. There was no gratitude to Allah — one would think they were merely two girlfriends rather than mother and daughter. It was as though they had placed a treasure in storage and were now retrieving what belonged to them, not as the will of Allah. Laila was her mother’s only daughter among all her children, so she had placed no small hope in her. And now, even before they had gone anywhere, Allah had already begun to fulfill her dreams for her.

During Hajiya’s three-day stay, she asked Ma’arouf to leave his work and come so that he could meet the woman they had chosen for him, so that clear and proper discussion could take place before they left Ji-kas. But all their concern remained centered on Amina. It was only then that he realized Hajiya had left Amina in the hands of doctors. His heart was not overly troubled, because he trusted Dr. Umar Bolori’s effort regarding Amina and the affection he had for him.

Three cars followed behind him to Ji-kas, apart from his two security men who had accompanied him all the way from Abuja to Jigawa. Crowds of people packed the entrance of Hajiya Saude’s house, as they always did whenever he came to Ji-kas, and today was no different. With difficulty, he managed to get into his mother’s room after instructing his secretary Idris to dismiss them.

He prayed and ate the food Hajiya had prepared for him. Then, after darkness fell following Maghrib, the Imam took him to the district head’s house, at a time when there would be no prying eyes. He wore dark shades that concealed his eyes, along with a cement-colored Getzner babban riga and a matching embroidered cap. The robe had been decorated with silver thread, which made it especially elegant. They walked there on foot, chatting, until they reached the district head’s residence. The district head received them warmly and led them into the guest parlor where he hosted visitors. Ma’arouf greeted him with deep respect, and he replied affectionately, holding his hand in his and saying,

“You must be patient with her, for among all my daughters, she is the most troublesome.”

That made the Imam laugh. How could a man say such a thing about his own daughter just when people had come to seek her hand in marriage? But as for the district head, he was only speaking the plain truth. His love for Ma’arouf was not something that had started today, and it would never allow him to deceive him.