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“Abdullahi, my eyes.”
He asked, “What happened to your eyes?”
I said, “They have opened.”
He turned around and asked, “What?”
I repeated, “They are open.”
The sudden way he slammed on the brakes terrified me; he hit the brakes right in the middle of the street. Thank God there was no car behind us. He demanded:
“Fatima, what did you just say?”
I said, “My eyes have opened.”
He said, “Okay, what am I wearing?”
I replied, “Abdullahi, you are wearing black shadda fabric.”
Hearing this, he pulled over to the side of the road and parked properly. He stared at me intently, completely speechless. As for me, the words pouring out of my mouth were praises to the father of Fatima, the grandfather of Hassan and Usaini, the leaders of the youths of Paradise [referring to Islamic praises of the Prophet Muhammad]. I continued to send blessings upon the son of Amina, nursed by Halima, the companion of Abubakar. For a long time, neither of us said a word to each other. Eventually, he said:
“Let’s go back home.”
I replied, “Okay.”
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From the moment we set off, neither of us spoke a word; each of us was deeply lost in our own thoughts. We didn't reach home until late in the evening around Maghrib prayer time, since we hadn't gone out early anyway—we left in the late afternoon and returned to meet heavy traffic near the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
I felt like a bird that could just sprout wings and fly home. As we approached the front of the house, I saw my father and his neighbor standing outside talking.
Even before the car fully stopped and before Abdullahi could park, I began shouting out to him, opened the car door, and stepped out. My father became incredibly startled, in a way you cannot imagine, leaving the neighbor behind to rush toward me quickly.
When I reached him, I threw my arms around him. He kept asking me what was wrong, but I couldn't speak through my tears until Abdullahi caught up and said:
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“Father, her eyes are open.”
Then my father lifted my face and asked:
“Fatima, your eyes are open?”
I smiled and said:
“Father, today Allah’s promise has been fulfilled. My eyes are open and I can see you. Look, you are wearing a white shadda.”
He said, “Fatima, I thank Allah. Let us go inside the house.”
Before I could even enter, Abdullahi had already rushed inside first, so before anyone knew it, the household members came pouring out.
Immediately, our house began filling up with people. Neighbors came outside when they heard the commotion. Whoever asked what happened and was told the story of my eyes opening would head straight to our house to see it with their own eyes and to congratulate me, my parents, and my siblings.
Today, our house was a sight to behold; even I began to be amazed by it. I hadn't realized people cared so much about my condition. Truly, a human being has both lovers and enemies in this world.
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As for relatives, some arrived that very night to see me and celebrate, feeling that waiting until morning would take too long.
Abdullahi is the son of my father's younger brother, but his father had passed away long ago. He currently lives with his mother and siblings in the Sani Mainagge neighborhood.
That same night, my father tried to call Nazir, but couldn't reach him. He called about six times. Consequently, he called Nazir’s father, Malam, to inform him. Malam was overjoyed and told my father that he would come over tomorrow, active willingness permitting.
However, my father forgot to mention to him that he hadn't been able to reach Nazir on the phone.
That night, I couldn't sleep a wink out of sheer happiness that my eyes were open today, allowing me to look at everyone. Truly, the wonders of Allah are something to behold.
As for my man [Nazir], it turned out that Kaduna city had erupted with attacks that morning. Soldiers were being deployed to various sectors, and they entered the fray deeply anxious.
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Because of the intensity, he even slept at the barracks after their meeting and didn't return home.
Nazir didn't get a chance to check his phone, which he had put on silent, until after he performed the dawn (Asuba) prayer and dressed in his military khakis to head out. Seeing the missed calls from my father left him incredibly anxious.
Checking further, he saw that I had also called him up until the early morning hours. Becoming distressed, he sat back down and tried dialing our father's line, but it was switched off—and mine was too, because the excessive incoming calls from people celebrating had completely drained our batteries.
Father didn't even realize his phone was dead until one of his younger brothers came in and mentioned he had been trying to call but the phone was off. Father then asked for the generator to be turned on. Once it was running, I also managed to plug my phone in to charge.
Nazir tried reaching me for a long time without success before finally putting his phone in his pocket and heading out. As you know, military service isn't like other jobs where you can easily shirk your duties or make excuses to skip work.
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I didn't feel happy about it either; by Allah, I really wished we could spend the whole day together today, but alas, Nazir was far away and I couldn't reach him on the phone.
Within a short time, people began arriving in waves, coming into the house continuously. Even my father had to cancel going out because of the visitors and the endless phone calls coming in to congratulate him.
In the afternoon, Malam [Nazir's father] arrived. Even though I hadn't reached Nazir and felt down because he was the one I truly wanted to see, we greeted Malam. He prayed for me after offering his congratulations.
After the Maghrib prayer, I was sitting on my prayer mat. Food had been brought to me, but I couldn't eat; instead, I tried calling his phone again. It went through, and just as it was about to cut off, he answered. I said:
“Oh, Nazir...”
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He said, “Please forgive me. Today, I myself have been deeply unsettled because I saw your missed calls and Baba's but couldn't reach you. I had already gone out to the field, which is why, and I didn't even see the calls until dawn because yesterday things were very bad in our city.”
He then called my father to explain. After they greeted each other, Nazir said, "Father, please forgive me, by Allah, yesterday I was..." He thoroughly apologized, and Baba replied:
“It is nothing, Nazir. May Allah protect us, grant us peace, and as for you all who risk your lives to protect the public and their property, may Allah protect you. Nazir, whenever you go out to duty, the one thing I want you to hold dear in your heart is to do this work out of love for Allah, not for material gain or just to be called a soldier.”
Nazir deeply appreciated the advice my father gave him and thanked him profusely.
Eventually, my father realized Nazir didn't know what had actually happened, so he asked him:
“Have you two spoken?”
He quickly replied, “She called me, but the call cut off and I haven't been able to reach her since; it seems her phone is turned off.”
My father laughed and said:
“Nazir, her eyes opened yesterday afternoon.”
Hearing this, the father heard Nazir stammering:
“Whose eyes?!”
He replied, “The eyes of your wife, Nazir.”
“Allahu Akbar! Allah, King of kings, the King who is never overtaken by sleep, the King who loves His servants!”
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Suddenly, Father just heard Nazir reciting:
“Subbuhun Kuddusun rabbil mala’ikatu warhu” [Glory and Holiness to the Lord of the Angels and the Spirit].
He fell into prostration (sujjada) on the ground, thanking the Lord who had united him with Fatima and planted her love in his heart despite all the chaos they had faced. Today brought joy upon joy—health was restored to Fatima, and her father had given her to him in marriage. He had to show gratitude to the King who made this possible, for this was entirely divine intervention, not human planning.
Meanwhile, my father, hearing a long silence on the line, hung up the phone.
At the time Nazir fell into prostration before Allah, his superior officer (Oga) was right beside him. They had been together when he spoke with my father, and he fell into prostration right before his officer's eyes.
When Nazir finally raised his head, the officer saw him raise his hands to the sky, deeply engaged in prayers. Nazir spent a long time in communion with the Lord before concluding.
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When he finished, his face was radiant with joy. Samuel looked at Nazir and asked:
“What happened to cause all this?”
Nazir smiled, standing up out of respect for him, and said:
“It's nothing.”
Samuel said, “This is exactly my problem with you Muslims—always withholding information. You just did things right in front of me that clearly show something joyful happened to you, yet when I ask, you say it's nothing. Furthermore, you just prayed even though the scheduled time for your regular prayer hasn't arrived yet.”
Nazir paused for a moment, then looked back at Samuel, who was still staring at him, and explained:
“Oga, my wife had a severe eye problem. We even went as far as Germany for medical treatment, but her eyes didn't open. Just now, I received a phone call informing me that her eyes have opened. That is why I felt there was no one else worthy of my gratitude except Allah, because He is the Almighty who does whatever He wills, whenever He wills, and no one can question Him.”
"I spent a vast amount of money, yet no doctor could fix the problem. Even in Germany, a doctor told us to just return home, saying that the next time her eyes were touched, they would open. And now, the King who has the absolute power has opened her eyes. You see, I absolutely must thank Him.”
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Samuel looked at Nazir and asked:
“But just now when you prayed, you didn't take a bath, which is what you guys usually do before you pray, right?”
Nazir replied, “Ah, this one you saw me do doesn't strictly require full ablution (alwala) beforehand. No, even if you just turn to Allah like this, He will accept it from you and appreciate what you have done. Look, now I have earned a massive spiritual reward, whereas someone else might have burst out uttering profanities upon hearing shocking news.”
Samuel looked at Nazir again, his expression showing deep reflection, and said:
“I am fascinated by your religion, but your laws seem too strict for me.”
Nazir looked at him and said:
“What is strict about our religion? To me, our religion is the easiest of all religions, and it brings absolute tranquility to one’s life.”
Samuel said, “What I feel I cannot manage is the constant washing a person must do whenever they want to pray, and also, to pray, you have to know how to recite scriptures. Frankly, it looks very difficult.”
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Nazir asked, “Now, if you are about to eat food with your hands, do you wash them?”
He replied, “Of course I do.”
Nazir asked, “When you wash them, how do you feel within yourself?”
He said, “I feel good deep down because I know my hands are clean, and I won't eat the food fearing that something harmful will happen to me.”
Nazir said, “Exactly! Our religion simply teaches cleanliness. Every time you perform ablution, you wash your hands, and you see dirt leaving your skin. When you wash your nose? Furthermore, anytime you touch something forbidden by our law without realizing it, performing ablution washes away that sin. It means your sins are constantly being erased through this process."
"As for the prayers, performing them keeps you away from committing sins. The moment you intend to do something wrong, your heart remembers Allah."
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"Regarding fasting, you also fast, but it differs from ours. Yours lasts for forty days, while ours is either thirty or twenty-nine days. And for us, once we break the fast at sunset, we can eat food until the true dawn appears."
"So what is there to dislike in our religion, Samuel? Is it marriage, where Allah commands you to keep your wife safely at home, treat her with kindness, and look after your children? Is that what is to be avoided in our religion? Or treating your parents and neighbors with kindness? Samuel, what is there to run away from?”
Allah is Almighty, the One who brings the dead out of the living and the living out of the dead. Nazir did not leave that spot until Samuel accepted the true religion—the religion that acknowledges Prophet Jesus (Isah), the son of Mary, as a Prophet of Allah, and his mother as a truthful woman (Siddika).
He accepted Islam at Nazir’s hands, and Nazir promised him that he would guide him on how the religion operates and how to practice his daily prayers.
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Nazir didn't get the chance to call me on the phone until he returned home late that night. I was already starting to fall asleep when I heard his call.
After we greeted each other, I tried to complain about why he had treated me that way—I had called him to tell him my eyes were open, yet I didn't hear back from him. I told him my eyes had grown tired of staring at the path waiting for him, to the point of tears because he wasn't there. I added:
“Or perhaps...”
He quickly cut me off:
“Fatima, please forgive me. By Allah, only absolute duty could prevent me from coming to see you. But tomorrow morning, I will catch a flight to come see my 'eyes' [sweetheart] before returning. You know things are not peaceful in our city.”
I said, “Okay, it's no problem. You know you can do no wrong in my eyes; whatever happens is fine. I know you don't take my affairs lightly, so you are not blamed. Thank you.”
We chatted for a long time before he went to sleep because he had to leave very early in the morning. Sometimes he even slept at his duty post because the unrest had escalated significantly in Kaduna city—though even here in Kano, things were becoming similar.
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When morning broke, I got up, went to the bathroom to bathe, and dressed up beautifully in a matching shadda top and skirt. I sat down to recite my morning remembrances (azkar) because I hadn't been awake early enough to do them at dawn.
As I was finishing up, I heard him enter our house. Checking the clock, I saw it was 7:30 AM. I stood up to put away the book I was reading.
Just as I stood up, he walked into the room. He stopped and stared at me as if he had never seen me before. I broke the silence between us, saying:
“Welcome, Yallabai [Sir].”
He didn't say a word. I spoke again:
“Welcome back.”
Then he took off his cap, stepped closer until he was right beside me, placed his hand on my face, and whispered:
“Fatima?”
I answered, “Yes, Naziru.”
Suddenly, I felt him pull me into a tight embrace. He held me close, thanking God, until I gently managed to pull myself away from him. He stared at me...
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...smiling continuously. He looked incredibly handsome to me because he was dressed in his military uniform. I said:
“You look handsomer today than ever, Nazir.”
He didn't speak, he just kept gazing at me. Just then, my father entered the room with a greeting. Nazir answered and turned to greet our father with a warm smile.
“Welcome, Baba.”
“Welcome, Nazir. How is work, and how is your city?”
He replied, “By Allah, Baba, the situation requires heavy prayers. Just when we think we have suppressed the crises, they erupt somewhere else. By Allah, Baba, we must persist in prayers, that is what is needed, because there are serious problems, by Allah.”
After they finished chatting, my father left the room, leaving us alone in my bedroom to continue our conversation. I kept trying to give him some space, but he wouldn't have it and stayed close to me.
Around 10:00 AM, he said he had to leave because he was technically on active duty. He had only...
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...requested a brief permission from Samuel—who had now changed his name to Sulaiman—to quickly come and see me.
As he was leaving, he held my hand and said:
“The bride can do no wrong, even if she commits a grave offense.”
I laughed and said, “No, I won't commit any offenses.”
He said, “Okay Fatima, I will head back. Then I will send Malam [his father] to come over so they can set our wedding date.”
He handed me a phone, having taken his SIM card out, so that his father could use it to coordinate the wedding date arrangements.
I escorted him to the front gate where he got into a car—it wasn't his personal car, but a vehicle belonging to Hajja that he had picked up from Malam Aminu International Airport. We parted ways reluctantly, but duty left us no choice.
After he returned, he called his friend Umar to tell him that my eyes were open. Umar was overjoyed. They weren't together at the moment because Nazir was stationed in Kaduna while Umar had been deployed to Maiduguri. He wished his friend the best regarding my recovery and told Nazir that the wedding date needed to be set immediately.
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In the evening, around 6:00 PM, Umar called my phone. We greeted each other, and he expressed his profound joy over my sight being restored. He informed me that he was currently in Maiduguri, but as soon as he got the chance, he would come to visit.
He added that the wedding date needed to be fixed quickly because his friend was deeply infatuated and he felt sorry for how desperately in love he was.
I laughed and said, “That’s true, don't worry, everything is coming together. But Umar, it’s time for you to find someone too so you can get married alongside your friend, don't you think?”
He laughed and said:
“By Allah, Fatima, the whole thing terrifies me. I've become quite discouraged watching your situation, by Allah. Truly, dealing with women can be terrifying, honestly.”
I replied, “You shouldn't be afraid. The ultimate solution is prayer. Just pray, you know nothing is impossible for the Lord.”
He said, “That’s true, but women aren't like clay pots that you can tap on to test their quality before buying. Once she steps into your life, she could become a permanent shackle around your feet.”
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I asked, “So you don't have anyone at all right now?”
He said, "By Allah, no one. Unless you can find someone for me around your neighborhood."
I teased, "Oh, so you want to come to Kano too? Do you want a Kano girl?"
He laughed and said:
"By Allah, I used to think about traveling to marry a white foreign woman (baturiya), because they don't have the kind of drama we have."
I countered, "But if you marry them, you can't marry another wife, right? You know how jealous they get—you'll have to stick with just one woman until you grow old."
He said, "Fatima, is Suwaiba a white woman? Yet look at how she ruined our peace. It's exactly as you said earlier—prayer is our only way out."
We said our goodbyes, agreeing that whenever he found time, he would stop by to greet us.
Meanwhile, Suwaiba was constantly snooping around, trying to gather information about her ex-husband, even though she openly showed regret for what she had done that caused him to divorce her.
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She knew he currently had no wife, but she didn't know his current situation. Her daily obsession was checking whether he had found someone else or if he was still single, just as she had left him.
Two days later, Malam [Nazir's father] arrived in Kano. He came specifically to finalize our wedding plans. The wedding was officially set for three months away. I was incredibly happy. My prayer is for Allah to spare our lives to see that day and grant us a peaceful home.
Within that same week, I returned to my workplace. Everyone who saw me was ecstatic, especially my students. You know, the children have always loved me dearly because I am gentle and never harsh with them.
Now that I can see everyone, everything feels much more beautiful. The only thing I haven't stopped doing is wearing plain protective glasses to shield my eyes from sunlight, computer screens, or whenever I am reading.
Nazir had to travel to Maiduguri to see his friend, so he was personally handling all his own preparations from there.
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With only one month left until our wedding, almost everything was falling into place. My room had already been renovated back when the general house repairs were done, so now we only needed to add a few minor touches. As you know, marrying off a woman to her actual husband is a major event, not just standard house sharing.
On my mother’s side of the family, they brought their own contributions; everyone I knew brought generous gifts. The same went for my father’s side of the family.
While sitting in our living room, I saw Nazir’s call flash on my screen. I picked up, we greeted each other, and he said:
“Fatima, tomorrow Umar is coming to Kano. I gave him your phone number so he will call you when he is approaching the city to deliver a package I sent through him.”
I said, “Okay, may Allah bring him safely. But won't you be coming yourself?”
“No, unfortunately, I won't make it this time because I am coming down permanently week after next.”
I replied, “Alright then, may Allah bring us to that time in safety.”
The next day, around 2:00 PM, Umar's call came through. He informed me that he had arrived in Kano and was near the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
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Since he was in Kano, I offered to send my younger brother to guide him to our house, but he insisted he would find it himself since he had visited before.
I said, “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you.”
As we sat in the living room, we heard his greeting. My younger brother stood up and opened the door for him. He walked in smiling. I stood up to greet him, and he sat down, looking at me, and said:
“Masha Allah, Fatima, you look truly beautiful. Your eyes are completely open now, unlike before.”
I smiled and said:
“Alhamdulillah. Umar, how was the journey?”
He replied, “The journey was smooth, thank God. Look, Nazir asked me to give you this.”
He handed me two large shopping bags. I accepted them and asked:
“What’s inside?”
He said, “I have no idea myself! He just told me to deliver them to you.”
I set them down and said, “Give me a moment.”
I went inside and brought out water, juice, and food for him. You know a man from Kaduna with good manners won't leave...
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...until he has thoroughly eaten the food served to him. Afterward, he said:
“Fatima, I will head over to our family house located in the Koki neighborhood. Tomorrow I will return to collect whatever message you have for him.”
I said, “Alright, may Allah protect you on the road. Extend my greetings to the household.”
After he left, I opened the bags he brought. They contained fresh fruits, three beautiful sets of clothing, and elegant matching shoes and bags. I was incredibly grateful and called Nazir immediately to thank him.
With only two weeks left until the wedding, all preparations were fully completed. Relatives had gathered, festivities were well underway, our house was full, and neighbors joined us in celebrating with everything they could offer...
Part 2: Story Summary
This excerpt details a turning point in the novel. Fatima, who was previously blind, experiences a miraculous recovery as her eyesight suddenly completely restores while riding in a car with her relative, Abdullahi. The news triggers immense joy, turning her family home into a chaotic hub of celebration as neighbors and family members flock to witness the miracle.
Meanwhile, her fiancé, Nazir—a soldier stationed in Kaduna—is unreachable due to severe civil unrest in his city and a drained phone battery. When Nazir finally learns of the miracle from Fatima’s father, he drops to the ground in intense, thankful prostration (sujjada). This profound display of faith deeply moves his Christian commanding officer, Samuel. Nazir uses the moment to explain Islamic values of cleanliness, prayer, and family to Samuel, leading Samuel to willingly convert to Islam, choosing the name Sulaiman.
As the story progresses, wedding preparations accelerate. Nazir takes brief leave to visit Fatima in Kano, overwhelmed by her beauty and recovery. Despite the lingering presence of Nazir’s regretful ex-wife, Suwaiba, who keeps tabs on him, plans move forward smoothly. The wedding date is set for three months out, dropping to just two weeks by the end of the text. Nazir's military friend, Umar, travels from his base to deliver gifts (clothes, shoes, and fruit) to Fatima, cementing the communal support, happiness, and anticipation surrounding the upcoming marriage.
Part 3: Textual Structure & Description
The narrative follows a chronological structure, utilizing dialogue-heavy prose typical of modern Hausa popular literature (littattafan soyayya). It alternates between tense, high-stakes environments (military operations amidst unrest in Kaduna) and warm, domestic family settings (the celebratory household in Kano).
Key Narrative Elements:
- The Catalyst: The opening sequence uses rapid dialogue to contrast Fatima’s calm realization of her healing against Abdullahi’s panicked, abrupt braking on a busy street.
- The Contrast of Environments: The author creates structural tension by balancing Fatima’s domestic joy against Nazir’s stressful reality as a soldier managing dangerous security operations in Kaduna.
- The Spiritual Inversion: A significant portion of the mid-text shifts into an interfaith dialogue and conversion sequence. It structurally serves to highlight Nazir's religious character, framing Fatima’s healing not just as a medical anomaly, but as a divine blessing that expands to save another soul (Samuel/Sulaiman).
- The Resolution/Countdown: The final pages transition into a rhythmic countdown of time ("three months", "one month", "two weeks") accompanied by lists of traditional marriage preparation indicators (renovations, family gifts, shopping bags of fabrics/shoes), bringing the arc toward its celebratory climax.
