The Absolute Truth 2 (Tabbat Haqiqan 2)
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| Title | The Absolute Truth 2 (Tabbat Haqiqan 2) |
| Author or Owner | Usman Ɗan Fodio (author), Umar Falke (owner) |
| Subject | Reform, Renewal, Politics, Leadership, Governance, Responsibilities, Followership, Public Trust, Public Funds |
| Content | This poem was written by Shehu Usman Ɗan Fodio (1754-1817). It talks about the roles of leaders and followers. Written in Hausa Ajami using the Maghribi writing style, the poem addresses leadership as it cuts across nations, states, communities, organizations, groups and families. The poet puts a heavy premium on administering the functions of the state and its rewards and also on the penalties for their violation. Obedience to the constituted authority is considered central to a functional, reasonable, and beneficial leadership. The poem emphasizes and urges the avoidance of all forms of social evil, violation of court orders, and crisis in the society. It argues that the role of any leader is to guard against the misuse of public funds, waste, misappropriation, corruption, or any act of fraudulence. The poet, Shehu Usman Ɗan Fodio, opens his poem with prayers of appreciation to Allah, and prayers for blessings and peace upon the Prophet. He closes with thanks to God and prayers for the Prophet. Tabbat Haqiqan (The Absolute Truth) is one of the Shehu’s most celebrated poems in Hausaland. It is chanted primarily at religious gatherings. |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Language | Hausa with interlinear glosses in Arabic |
| Script | Hausa Ajami |
| Manuscript condition | 3 leaves. 17 x 23. 5 cm. // 6 pp, first one blank. Condition: Browned and slightly worn at edges. Vocalized. |
| Type | Handwritten |
| Publisher | Unpublished |
| Provenance | Kano, Nigeria |
| Source Reference | Usman Ɗan Fodio, “Waƙar Ɗan Fodio Tabbat Haƙiƙan” (nd). Courtesy of Northwestern University Libraries. |
| Access condition and copyright | These materials are subject to copyright and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom (fngom@bu.edu). |
| Contributors | Jennifer J Yanco, Mustapha Hashim Kurfi, Garba Zakari, Lori De Lucia, Babacar Dieng, Rebecca Shereikis, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, Alison Parker, Frank Antonelli, Mark Lewis, Shawn Provencal, Eric Schmidt. |
| Required citation information | Fallou Ngom (PI), Jennifer Yanco, Mustapha Hashim Kurfi, Garba Zakari, Babacar Dieng, Daivi Rodima-Taylor, and Rebecca Shereikis. 2022. “The Absolute Truth 2.” https://sites.bu.edu/nehajami/the-four-languages/hausa/hausa-manuscripts/falke-1041-1-tabbat-haqiqan-2/ |
Manuscript
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Transcription and Translations
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