About Dan Gargajiya Book One

Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel is a short but meaningful
Hausa story about tradition, ignorance, family control, women’s suffering, and the
difference between true religion and blind cultural practices.

The story first introduces Bahijja, a pregnant woman in serious labor pain. She is alone
and helpless until she calls her mother for forgiveness, fearing death. Her parents rush
her to the hospital, but her husband Badaru becomes angry because, according to him, he
is a complete “son of tradition.”

The second part takes readers to Bandaas village, where Malam Maude also uses tradition
to argue with his wife Hinde about prayer, women’s conduct, and inherited customs. Through
these scenes, the story criticizes harmful ignorance and reminds readers that culture
should not be placed above mercy, wisdom, and religious knowledge.

Dan Gargajiya Book One English Translation

Bahijja’s Labor Pain

Bahijja was lying down in severe labor pain. There was nobody with her, and all she could
do was pray to her Creator for relief.

Then, with the little strength that came to her, she dragged herself toward the mirror,
picked up her phone, and dialed her mother’s number. After two rings, her mother picked
up and placed the phone to her ear. Immediately, she heard her daughter’s voice and knew
that something was wrong.

Bahijja said,

“Umma, forgive me. I think I am going to die. Please ask Baba to forgive me too.”

Her mother became extremely frightened because she knew her daughter was heavily pregnant
and was also living in a strongly traditional household.

While she was still thinking, Alhaji Mahmud came out from the bathroom.

She quickly told him what was happening. Immediately, he put on his clothes and said they
should go and see the condition Bahijja was in. He brought out his car, and they left.

When they arrived, he asked Umma to go inside first and check her condition. Not even two
minutes later, Umma came back running and said,

“Alhaji, come in. Let us carry her to the hospital before the baby comes out. She can
hardly move properly.”

Before she could even finish speaking, Alhaji Mahmud ran inside, carried Bahijja, and
they headed to the hospital.

As soon as they arrived, the nurses gave emergency assistance and quickly took her to the
delivery room in order to save her life and the baby’s life.

Badaru Arrives Home

On Badaru’s side, Bahijja’s husband returned home and entered the house with a frowning
face, behaving as if he was someone who hated disrespect.

When he entered and saw that Bahijja was not there, he went to his mother’s place and
asked if Bahijja had entered the house.

His mother opened her mouth and said,

“How would I have seen her?”

While they were still speaking, Badaru’s younger sister returned from the errand she had
been sent on. She informed them that she had seen Bahijja’s mother and father come and
take her to the hospital.

Badaru gathered a heavy insult in his mouth and said,

“So they want to bring city behavior to us and break the system of our parents and
grandparents, while I am a Dan Gargajiya from front to back?”

In anger, he left for the hospital where he believed he would find them. Luckily for him,
that was the hospital they had gone to, and he saw his mother-in-law sitting there.

He entered the area where nurses attended to women in labor and those who brought them.
There, Badaru began making noise, beating his chest and saying,

“We are traditional people. Nobody should disrespect us. My wife was simply taken without
informing me or even informing my mother. This is disrespect. My mother is alive, yet she
was not told. She only heard later.”

Bahijja’s mother said,

“Please be patient. We found her in a condition…”

Before she could finish, Badaru cut her off and continued pouring out his rude words as
he wished.

While all this was happening, everyone remained unable to say anything to Badaru, even
the nurses.

Then a brave woman stood up at the exact moment he was saying,

“Whose father ordered that my wife be brought to the hospital?”

In anger, the woman stepped before him and said,

“Your father did.”

Malama Ramatu Challenges Badaru

The brave woman said,

“What kind of heartless person are you? What kind of human being are you, rejecting the
mercy of the Creator? Do you even know the condition in which she was brought here, yet
you came here insulting people?”

Badaru said to her,

“This is none of your business, Hajiya.”

He stood there frowning as if he wanted to run away from the field.

Malama Ramatu said,

“It is my business because you touched a woman. Would you like this kind of thing to be
done to your sister, your daughter, or your mother?”

He replied quickly,

“No, Hajiya, not my mother.”

Malama Ramatu said,

“Including her. The woman you are disrespecting here is also someone’s mother.”

She was speaking in anger and looked as if she could cover him with blows.

She continued,

“Now tell me, because of Allah, do you think what you have done is right? This behavior
you came here displaying, proudly claiming you are a son of tradition, where did it come
from in religion?”

Badaru became silent. He was thinking about the courage of this woman.

Before he finished thinking, she threw another question at him.

“How many children do you have?”

Badaru looked as if he would not answer, but finally he said,

“I have one daughter, and the second child is about to be born.”

Malama Ramatu said,

“Alhamdulillah. Write it down and keep it. One day, this matter will come back to you.”

Badaru was about to speak when a nurse came out of the delivery room to call Malama
Ramatu, because the woman she had brought for delivery had safely given birth. It turned
out that Malama Ramatu had also brought a woman in labor to the hospital.

As she walked away, she turned back and said,

“And I will come back to you.”

Bandaas Village

Bandaas Village.

“Hinde! Hinde! Hinde! Where have you entered? The goats are about to eat the bitter-leaf
I brought for you to cook for me.”

When the woman called Hinde did not answer, he lifted the curtain of her room to see
whether she was inside.

He stopped suddenly when he saw her praying.

Immediately, he began shouting and scolding her, moving from one accusation to another.

“So, Hinde, because of your stubbornness, you will not let the prayer show before you
perform it? I knew this would happen. That is why, as soon as the imam finished prayer,
I came home to see with my own eyes. Every day, you refuse to follow what our parents
left behind because you went to the city and learned disobedience. Even Jumu’ah prayer,
you will not leave it until long after people have returned before you perform your own,
because of stubbornness.”

Throughout all his shouting, Hinde listened quietly. But she felt pained by his behavior
because in everything, he always brought up the issue of tradition.

This was Malam Maude, Hinde’s husband, a man who inherited customs from his parents and
grandparents. If tradition were sold in the market, one would surely go to him to buy it.
He was a man with a harsh mindset and did not have deep religious knowledge.

After he finished shouting, it was exactly the time Hinde completed her supplications.
She began to answer him with wisdom and religious understanding.

She said,

“Haba, Malam. It is not right that up to now you have refused to leave this idea of always
saying parents and grandparents. The religion of Allah has nothing to do with harmful
tradition or lack of tradition. But you have still refused to understand me.”

He cut her off and said,

“Shut your mouth. How old are you that you think you know what the world contains? You
people did not meet our honorable customs.”

He was speaking while breathing heavily.

Hinde interrupted him gently and said,

“Please be patient, Malam. I am not saying your customs are bad. I am only saying there
are places where they should not affect things, especially in matters of religion.”

She continued,

“You know that among the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah, there is guidance for women
going to the mosque, but they should cover themselves properly and not go out in the style
of ignorance.”

Then she added,

“And this prayer you are saying I should leave until it ‘shows,’ what if I die before
that time?”

Immediately, he reacted and said,

“Haba, Hinde. Every day, you have no topic except death. Let me go to Ja’e’s place and
return before evening. Quickly prepare the bitter-leaf soup for me. I will soon be back.”

He kicked his shoes into place and left.

Hinde laughed because she knew Malam Maude did not like hearing talk about death.

Dan Gargajiya Book One Novel Details

• Novel Title: Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel
• Category: Complete Hausa Novels
• Language: English Translation
• Main Characters: Bahijja, Badaru, Hinde, and Malam Maude
• Other Characters: Umma, Alhaji Mahmud, Malama Ramatu, Badaru’s mother, Ja’e
• Main Themes: Tradition, religion, ignorance, women’s suffering, childbirth, mercy, family conflict, and cultural misunderstanding
• Setting: Hospital, Badaru’s family house, and Bandaas village

Continue reading more meaningful Hausa family stories from our
Complete Hausa Novels collection and explore more
Hausa novels in English translation.

Why You Should Read Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel

Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel is perfect for readers who
enjoy Hausa stories that mix family drama, village life, cultural criticism, and moral
lessons.

The story is important because it shows how blind attachment to tradition can harm women,
families, and religious understanding. Through Badaru and Malam Maude, the writer exposes
the danger of confusing culture with religion.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel

What is Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel about?

Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel is about people who use
tradition wrongly, especially Badaru and Malam Maude, and how their ignorance affects
the women around them.

Who is Bahijja in Dan Gargajiya?

Bahijja is a heavily pregnant woman who suffers severe labor pain and is rushed to the
hospital by her parents to save her life and the baby’s life.

Who is Badaru?

Badaru is Bahijja’s husband. He calls himself a complete son of tradition and becomes
angry when his wife is taken to the hospital without his permission.

Who is Malama Ramatu?

Malama Ramatu is a brave woman at the hospital who challenges Badaru and questions his
harsh behavior toward women in the name of tradition.

Who is Hinde in the story?

Hinde is Malam Maude’s wife. She understands religion better than her husband and tries
to correct his wrong use of tradition with wisdom.

Is Dan Gargajiya saying tradition is bad?

No. The story shows that tradition itself is not always bad, but harmful customs should
not be placed above religion, mercy, health, and wisdom.

Is this an English translation of Dan Gargajiya Book One?

Yes. This post provides an English translation of
Dan Gargajiya Book One Complete Hausa Novel while keeping the original
title unchanged for SEO and reader recognition.