A Translation of Ibn Al-Wardi's Poem Lamia Into the Hausa Language

This research focuses on translating Lāmiyyat Ibn al-Wardī, a classical Arabic poem written by Imam Zain al-Din Umar Ibn al-Muzaffar Ibn al-Wardī, from Arabic into Hausa language. The study aims to explore the artistic expressions, wisdom, and moral lessons contained in the poem, while presenting them in a way understandable to Hausa readers. The researcher was motivated by a deep interest in translation, a desire to contribute to Arabic literature through translation into Hausa, admiration for the poet’s linguistic creativity, and the wish to expand personal linguistic knowledge.

The study employs comparative, experimental, and historical methods — the comparative approach for analyzing linguistic and cultural equivalence, the experimental method in practical translation, and the historical approach for presenting the poet’s life and works. It consists of four chapters: the first introduces the research and its importance; the second discusses the poet’s biography and the concept, importance, and types of translation; the third presents the Arabic text of the poem and its translation into Hausa; and the fourth interprets the moral lessons, proverbs, and values found in the poem.

The research concludes that translation plays a crucial role in spreading literary and cultural knowledge across languages, and that Lāmiyyat Ibn al-Wardī carries universal moral values that remain relevant to modern readers in both Arabic and Hausa contexts.