Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel
Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel continues with Sulthana’s painful life under Baffa’s harsh treatment. Though Mama and Ameena pity her, Baffa continues to force her into heavy work, while Hafsatu mocks her suffering. This English translation is cleaned and prepared in WordPress HTML format for Hausa novel readers.
Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel English Translation
From time to time, she wiped away the tears rolling down her face.
She washed all the plates, swept the compound, and prepared breakfast. She also washed the bathroom, then picked up a broom and headed toward Hafsatu’s room.
She found Hafsatu asleep, while Ameena was seated beside her on a prayer mat, reading the Qur’an.
Sulthana bowed slightly and said, “Good morning, Yaya Ameena.”
Ameena waited until she completed her recitation, then turned to look at Sulthana with a smile on her face.
“Good morning, Amal. Did you wake up well?”
With her head lowered, Sulthana answered, “Yes, I woke up well.”
Silence followed for some minutes.
With difficulty, Amal opened her mouth and said, “Please, Yaya Ameena, help me wake Yaya Hafsatu. I want to sweep the room.”
Without saying anything, Ameena began waking Hafsatu. With difficulty, Hafsatu finally stood, and they gave Sulthana space to clean their room properly.
She did not finish her chores until around 7:30 in the morning.
As for Baffa, he kept complaining angrily that she was taking too long to finish breakfast, while the children were supposed to go to school.
She prepared koko and boiled Hausa sweet potatoes for them. After serving everyone, she took her own portion and went toward the entrance area with it.
Baffa Shows Favoritism
After Hafsatu and Ameena finished eating, they peeped into Baffa’s room and said, “Mama, Baffa, we are leaving.”
He looked at them warmly, dipped his hand into his pocket, and brought out two hundred naira.
“Take this and share it,” he said.
They collected the money, thanked him, and left.
Mama looked at him with no happiness on her face.
“Mallam, if I say I am pleased with what you are doing, I would be lying.”
He looked at her in surprise.
“What have I done again?”
Mama became silent because she knew Baffa’s character. If she spoke too much, he would pour anger on her.
He said, “I am listening.”
She quickly looked at him and said, “Haba, Mallam. Are you not afraid of what people are saying? Though I am the one receiving their insults, not you.”
He looked at her in confusion.
“Speak clearly. Do not go around in circles.”
She said, “I am talking about Sulthana, Mallam. This girl is not old enough to be doing all these heavy chores. And you have stopped her from going to school. Haba, Mallam, you speak and act as if you are not the one who gave birth to her.”
He hissed loudly and stood.
“I am warning you again. Stay out of this girl’s matter. It is none of your business.”
Mama also stood and looked at him with concern.
“Haba, Mallam. What do you mean by none of my business? This girl is your daughter. She is your blood. Anywhere I go, people look at me, point at me, and insult me because they think I am the one mistreating her. Everyone blames me.”
He hissed again and left the room angrily.
In the compound, he met Sulthana just entering the house while gathering the plates used for breakfast. Quickly, she moved away from him, because even a small excuse from him could bring punishment.
He hissed and walked out of the house angrily.
Who Is Baffa?
Baffa was originally from Kano State, from Karaye village.
His full name was Mallam Jamilu Dan Mallam. His father was a Qur’anic teacher who gathered Almajiri students under his care.
He was the only child his father had.
After his father died, Mallam Jamilu continued taking care of his father’s Almajirai because he too had strong Islamic knowledge.
He inherited great wealth, so much that when wealthy people in the village were counted, he would come second or third.
By destiny, Allah brought him together with Rabiatu, the daughter of a Tuareg man who had migrated to Nigeria.
He and Rabiatu married out of love and deep affection. They spent many years together before Mallam Jamilu married again. His second wife was Saratu.
One year after marrying Saratu, she gave birth to Ameena. Two years later, she gave birth to Hafsatu.
Rabiatu and Saratu lived peacefully together. No one heard quarrels between them, even though they did not live in the same house.
When Hafsatu was five years old, Rabiatu became pregnant.
By Allah’s will, she gave birth to a baby girl. On the naming day, Rabiatu herself named the child Sulthana, meaning queen.
But Mallam was not happy about the birth at all.
From that time, Rabiatu began facing humiliation and harsh treatment from him.
When Sulthana was twelve years old, her mother died from heart illness after Mallam refused to care for her properly until Allah took her life.
After her mother’s death, Mallam brought Sulthana to the house of his other wife, Saratu.
There, he stopped all his other children from doing housework and placed every chore on Sulthana.
Mama, meaning Saratu, felt great pity for Sulthana, and so did Ameena.
Mallam removed Sulthana from school, even though it was her mother who had enrolled her. He also stopped her from mixing with her friends.
Her mother’s relatives were not in the country, so she had no one to stand strongly for her.
Sulthana’s Daily Suffering
Many days passed, and Sulthana continued facing hardship from Baffa.
Only when he was not at home did she feel a little peace with Mama or Ameena.
One day, she sat picking rice, wiping away the tears rolling down her face from time to time.
Baffa came out of his room and looked at her.
He said harshly, “This is not sickness. May Allah make it death if you refuse to do this work. Because of stubbornness, you dare look at me and say you are not feeling well.”
Ameena came out of the bathroom, holding a kettle.
“Baffa, please forgive her. I agree to do the work for her today.”
His face hardened.
“I do not agree, and I will not accept it. Do not let me see you pick even one grain in this house again. That is her usefulness. Leave her to do it.”
Without saying anything more, he entered his room.
Hafsatu came out laughing loudly, even holding her stomach.
“Yaya Ameena, why do you stress yourself over this miserable girl? By Allah, I hate her. She is so annoying, always looking beautiful like something from paradise.”
Ameena hissed and walked into their room without saying anything.
Hafsatu watched her leave, then turned back to Sulthana.
“Girl, even if you cry blood, you must finish that work. When you finish, come and wash my uniform.”
Sulthana said nothing. She continued picking the rice.
Baffa Forces Sulthana Into Hawking
After picking the rice, Sulthana cooked it for them.
She served everyone, then scraped the burnt leftovers from the pot and poured them into a nylon bag because Baffa had even stopped her from using the plates in the house.
She headed toward the entrance area, which had now become like her room.
Then she heard Baffa calling her name.
Quickly, she dropped the nylon containing the leftovers and went to him, kneeling before him.
He placed a bowl filled with raw groundnuts in front of her.
“Wash this quickly and put it on the fire. From today, you will start hawking for me.”
She raised her head quickly and looked at him in shock.
In her heart, she repeated, “Hawking?”
Mama came out quickly after hearing what he said.
“Haba, Mallam. By Allah, fear Allah. You should not be doing this. With all the wealth Allah has given you, you still want to send your daughter out to hawk?”
He said nothing to Mama. He only looked at Sulthana.
“Will you carry the groundnuts, or should I deal with you here?”
Her body trembling, she quickly picked up the groundnuts and went to the well. Tears flowed from her eyes.
She closed her eyes as her head began aching.
With difficulty, she washed the groundnuts, lit the fire, and placed them on it. Then she went aside to watch them.
Feeling fever beginning to take over her body, she stood with difficulty and entered Ameena’s room, her heart beating fast.
Luckily, Hafsatu was not in the room.
“Please, Yaya Ameena, help me with medicine for headache.”
Ameena looked at her with deep pity.
“Be patient, Sulthana. No matter how severe hardship becomes, ease is coming. Do you hear me?”
Sulthana only nodded without saying anything.
Ameena gave her medicine and water. Sulthana drank it, thanked her, and left the room.
Sulthana Goes Out to Sell
After the groundnuts were cooked, Sulthana poured them out, then went to Baffa’s room and greeted.
He came out.
“Good. Have you finished?”
She nodded with her head lowered.
He said, “Quickly pour them into a tray and carry them into town. By Allah, if you stay too long, you and I will have a problem. Each cup is ten naira.”
“Alright,” she said softly and left.
She took the groundnuts, picked up her hijab that was stained with soup and dust, wore it, and left the house barefooted.
She walked without knowing where she was going because hawking was completely new to her.
She suddenly met her friend Sadiya, who was returning from Islamiyya.
Sadiya stopped in shock and stared at Sulthana.
“What am I seeing today, Sulthana? Hawking?” Sadiya asked.
Sulthana only gave a small smile and tried to walk away.
Sadiya pulled her hijab, making her stop, though she did not turn around.
Sadiya moved in front of her and looked at her.
“Sulthana, it is me, Sadiya. Have they also stopped you from talking to anyone today?”
With difficulty, Sulthana opened her mouth and said, “Please, Sadiya, forgive me. Let me pass. By Allah, I was told that if I delay, I will be beaten.”
Immediately, Sadiya’s eyes filled with tears.
About Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel
Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel continues with Sulthana’s suffering under her father, Baffa, after the death of her mother, Rabiatu. Though Baffa is wealthy and respected, he treats Sulthana with harshness, removes her from school, and forces her into work far beyond her age.
This part of Sulthana Book One Complete Hausa Novel also reveals the root of the story: Baffa’s background, his marriage to Rabiatu and Saratu, the birth of Sulthana, and the cruelty that followed her mother’s death. With Mama and Ameena showing pity, and Hafsatu adding mockery, Sulthana’s journey becomes one of pain, patience, faith, and destiny.