A Dalilin Kishi Book 1 – English Translation

“Husna, you know I have repeatedly told you that you are still not wise, don’t you? For Allah’s sake, how can you watch your husband caring for your housemaid—even trying to secure admission for her at UDUTH—and remain silent without taking any action? Hmm! You are gambling with your marriage, Husna.”

I took a breath before speaking.

“What do you want me to do now, Hafsa? I swear, the matter has started bothering me too. I haven’t even told you that he has also enrolled her in an Islamiyya school.”

“What! Husna, today has further confirmed that you truly have no sense. How could I ever allow my husband to secure admission for my housemaid and even enrol her in an Islamiyya school? Honestly, Husna, you are in serious trouble.”

“Look, I have to leave now because Abdulhamid is attending a meeting, and I have already told him that I will go with him. I will not allow some shameless women to keep staring at my husband. Let me hurry before we become late.”

Hafsa said this and left the house.

I no longer knew what could make me happy. Allah knew that I disliked that dark-skinned girl, yet my husband continued treating her as though she were his daughter. However, I would deal with both of them—Faruk and the girl.

“Assalamu alaikum.”

Without waiting for him to answer her greeting, Hafsa immediately began speaking.

“Please forgive me, Abdulhamid. I know I returned late, but I swear it was traffic that delayed me. What would you like to eat? Let me prepare something for you because I do not want you to leave the house hungry. You know I always care about you.”

She spoke in a sweet, pampering voice.

Abdulhamid smiled from the corner of his mouth.

“Hafsa, please do not try to take me for a fool. I sent you to the bank a long time ago, but you went somewhere else, didn’t you? Does that mean I no longer have any authority over you? Anyway, do you want me to become late?”

“No, Hubby. Please forgive me. Let me quickly prepare something for you.”

Hafsa entered the kitchen. She first cleaned and arranged everything before beginning to cook.

Working as quickly as possible, she prepared jollof spaghetti with kidney sauce. She personally fed him and helped him dress in a smart, fitted outfit. He looked extremely handsome because Abdulhamid was already a naturally good-looking man.

“Hafsa, bring me my car key. You will find it on top of the drawer in the bedroom.”

“Okay, my love.”

She hurried upstairs so quickly that she almost stumbled.

I was sitting on a two-seater sofa in the living room, watching a film on Zee World while waiting for Faruk to return. Mariya kept passing through the room repeatedly.

“You wretched girl, come back here!”

I shouted at her, and she quickly returned. I pulled her by the ear.

“I swear by Allah, Mariya, you are close to being thrown out of my house. Do you hear me? You dark-skinned hypocrite! You are still young, yet you already know how to carry out all kinds of schemes.”

“Assalamu alaikum.”

Faruk’s greeting interrupted me. Otherwise, I would not have hesitated to give her a severe beating.

I deliberately refused to answer his greeting and continued watching television.

“Welcome home, Mu’sab’s father,” Mariya greeted him.

“Thank you, Mariya. But why are you kneeling there? What happened?”

“Nothing. It was Aunty who—”

“Get up and leave this place!”

I quickly interrupted her before she could finish. She immediately stood and headed towards her room.

“Are you not coming back to arrange his food on the dining table?” I shouted sharply.

Her body trembling, Mariya returned and began arranging his meal. Faruk simply watched me. After a while, he spoke.

“Husna, get up and prepare my bathwater.”

“Are you talking to me? I swear, Faruk, I cannot do it.”

“Mariya, come here,” he called.

Before she could respond, Faruk stopped himself.

“Husna, if Mariya is the one who must prepare my bathwater, then forget it. I will not bathe.”

He angrily went upstairs to his bedroom.

“What a pointless task! You can remain without bathing for an entire year because I will not do it.”

I adjusted my sitting position and returned my attention to the film.

I suddenly heard the greeting of Faruk’s mother. I answered immediately, hurried towards her, and collected the handbag from her hand. I knelt respectfully and greeted her warmly.

She answered cheerfully, blessed me, and asked about her beloved “husband,” Mu’sab.

“Umma, Mu’sab is asleep.”

“What about his father? Hasn’t he returned?”

“He is upstairs. He finished eating not long ago, but I think he has fallen asleep because he returned home looking exhausted. Should I wake him for you?”

I placed a bottle of water before her.

“Umma, here is some water. Please drink it while I serve you food.”

“No, Husna, do not trouble yourself. I will leave shortly. I was coming from Hajiya Sa’a’s house, so I decided to stop by and see my little husband.”

I laughed.

“Ayyah, Umma. Unfortunately, your husband went to sleep early today.”

She smiled.

“That is all right.”

She stood and prepared to leave while I remained beside her.

“Husna, I will be going now. When Faruk wakes up, greet him for me. Also, gently pat my husband’s head for me.”

“All right, Umma. Do not worry.”

I followed her outside to see her off.

Faruk later came downstairs and asked me about his food. I ignored him and continued watching television.

He did not waste time arguing. He went directly to the dining area and served himself. He began eating calmly. He knew Mariya had prepared the food, so he did not eat much. Although Mariya was an excellent cook, my husband did not normally enjoy food prepared by a housemaid.

“Husna, get up so that we can go to bed. I need you tonight.”

I began complaining because I did not want him to pressure me for intimacy.

“Honestly, Faruk, do not disturb me. I swear I cannot do anything tonight. I have already told you.”

Faruk angrily returned to the bedroom and left me alone in the living room.

Faruk never liked doing anything that would upset me. That was why he frequently overlooked my behaviour, regardless of what I did to him. However, I was not treating him this way without a reason. I had my reasons.

“Mariya, where do you think you are going? I swear you will not attend school today, no matter who you think you are!”

I spoke as though I was about to beat her because the sight of her filled me with anger.

“Aunty, please forgive me. We are beginning our examinations today. Please do not make me fail a course. Aunty, I am begging you.”

Mariya looked as though she was about to cry.

“You useless girl! I told you not to do something, yet you have the courage to tell me no?”

Slap! Slap!

The sounds came suddenly. Mariya quickly held her cheek as tears of sorrow streamed from her eyes. She turned around and returned to her room.

She spent the entire day suffering from a fever. Because of that, she did not come into the living room at all.

Faruk knew nothing about what had happened, but he became strangely worried when he did not see her.

He headed towards the dining area because he was hungry and needed something to eat. However, the table was completely empty.

He turned and looked at Husna, but she said nothing to him.

“Husna, where is Mariya? Where is my food?”

He asked both questions at once.

“What do you mean by asking where Mariya is?”

I responded with another question.

“So that wretched girl did not prepare any food for us today?”

“Who exactly are you calling a wretched girl, Husna?”

Faruk stared directly into my eyes.

I had thought I said the words only in my mind, but I had unknowingly spoken them aloud.

Feeling slightly alarmed, I answered:

“No, I wasn’t talking about you.”

“I am asking you where Mariya is. And if Mariya is not here, where is my food?” Faruk repeated sharply.

“Please, nobody should disturb me. Go and check the dining table yourself. If there is no food, enter the kitchen and prepare something if you are hungry.”

Faruk stared at her with his mouth open.

Why had Husna changed so much? This was not the woman he had known. She used to be respectful and obedient, but she had suddenly abandoned all her good qualities.

She no longer respected him and had begun behaving in ways he could not understand.

Could it be that she had become tired of him?

I, Ummu Juwairiyyah, also want to know the reason behind Husna’s behaviour. She said she had a reason. To discover that reason, continue following the story patiently. ✍️✍️✍️

This episode was not edited. Please excuse any spelling mistakes. As the Hausa proverb says, “The hand of a writer is blind.”