The Role of ʿAjamī in Hausa Literary Production.

Islamic education and literacy were present in Hausaland long before the jihad of Usman ɗan Fodio, which culminated in the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1804. While ʿAjamī made its way into Hausaland with the spread of Islam, its use today is not limited to sacred or religious texts. In fact, it serves as a medium for the diffusion of information through newspapers, personal correspondence, political and advertising signage, poetry, and even currency notes. At the same time, the Islamic values that inform Hausa culture are an integral aspect of these materials. Over time, Hausa scholars adapted the Warsh-based Arabic script to the particularities of the Hausa language, resulting in Hausa ʿAjamī's enriched inventory of characters and diacritics. The ʿAjamī tradition remains strong and widespread, as shown in our collection of 20 manuscripts, most from the 20th century, that highlight a range of personal qualities valued by the Hausa people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]