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Poetic Nikaah
When he asks about the whereabouts of his father, his mother would answer with mysterious proverbs and then go silent. Bilal Oyatomi finds himself gasping for love and attention until finally he gives in to drowning in his own mind.
Bilal’s path crosses that of Aneezah Cisse, daughter of a wealthy and religious Hausa-Fulani home. What stands between them is beyond religion and years of inter-tribal war – it includes the whole lots of things that can be said about love without words.
This debut novel describes the romance aspects of a young Muslim’s life up until marriage on a backdrop of western education, African culture, war and Islam.
Find out if Aneezah and Bilal find a balance between love and religion in their quest for a happily ever after.
Bilal’s path crosses that of Aneezah Cisse, daughter of a wealthy and religious Hausa-Fulani home. What stands between them is beyond religion and years of inter-tribal war – it includes the whole lots of things that can be said about love without words.
This debut novel describes the romance aspects of a young Muslim’s life up until marriage on a backdrop of western education, African culture, war and Islam.
Find out if Aneezah and Bilal find a balance between love and religion in their quest for a happily ever after.
165 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 27, 2020
I would not agree with you if you tell me I'd read a novel in 28 hours with my busy schedule. But then, I discovered that I could not resist the urge to finish this novel as quick as possible. You will be wrong to judge the book by its title but trust me, there couldn't have been a better title for such book that unravel the mystery of love; life and love.
Bilal is just a boy with so many unfortunate events happening in his life. I just hope wherever he is now, he'd truly let go of the past. He grew from being a lonely and introverted boy to a star. But we can't ignore the potholes on his journey to stardom. How else would you describe a life that suffered so many losses, especially that of his mother. I could not even picture him losing his mother to the frozen hands of death. I was expecting his reunion with his father to be a full house re-union. But his father who was taken away from his life by soldiers at a very young stage in his life returned while his wife is lying beneath the earth.
He never knew how to love until the emergence of Aneezah. They had been living a 'perfect life' until they almost slipped into fornication. From there, they went from being close friends to strangers, to sudden lovers and would be couple before the hijack from Nasrudeen, their mentor and “big brother.”
I love the fact that this book enshrine some basic teachings. No matter our level of faith, everyone tends to forget predestination at one point or the other. We find it hard to accept our fate immediately events unfold especially unfortunate ones. This book emphasized on the need to accept
Allah as the one in charge of everything and everything happens the way He wills.
Sympathy is such a selfless cause, as said by the author, it takes so much courage to fill one's heart with someone else's tragedy; that's the reason i don't want to engrave most of the scenes on my heart.
The use of words in this book is top notch and the imagery is captivating. I can't but appreciate the prowess of the writer, exceptional and mind-blowing!
My favourite line, aside the punch lines i won't share with y'all is:
“You can only be whatever Allah wills for you. It doesn't matter what side of the fringe you belong, up or in the valley, anyone can reach for the stars”
I think this summarizes how one should live one's life.
I am so glad I read this book. I really can't wait to read another from the author. Please, you need to read this book. Not only to explore the lives of Aneezah, Bilal, Nasrudeen, Rodiyyah and others, but to be dazzled by the reality of life and love. The aesthetic impact of the love they all shared is evergreen.
Bilal is just a boy with so many unfortunate events happening in his life. I just hope wherever he is now, he'd truly let go of the past. He grew from being a lonely and introverted boy to a star. But we can't ignore the potholes on his journey to stardom. How else would you describe a life that suffered so many losses, especially that of his mother. I could not even picture him losing his mother to the frozen hands of death. I was expecting his reunion with his father to be a full house re-union. But his father who was taken away from his life by soldiers at a very young stage in his life returned while his wife is lying beneath the earth.
He never knew how to love until the emergence of Aneezah. They had been living a 'perfect life' until they almost slipped into fornication. From there, they went from being close friends to strangers, to sudden lovers and would be couple before the hijack from Nasrudeen, their mentor and “big brother.”
I love the fact that this book enshrine some basic teachings. No matter our level of faith, everyone tends to forget predestination at one point or the other. We find it hard to accept our fate immediately events unfold especially unfortunate ones. This book emphasized on the need to accept
Allah as the one in charge of everything and everything happens the way He wills.
Sympathy is such a selfless cause, as said by the author, it takes so much courage to fill one's heart with someone else's tragedy; that's the reason i don't want to engrave most of the scenes on my heart.
The use of words in this book is top notch and the imagery is captivating. I can't but appreciate the prowess of the writer, exceptional and mind-blowing!
My favourite line, aside the punch lines i won't share with y'all is:
“You can only be whatever Allah wills for you. It doesn't matter what side of the fringe you belong, up or in the valley, anyone can reach for the stars”
I think this summarizes how one should live one's life.
I am so glad I read this book. I really can't wait to read another from the author. Please, you need to read this book. Not only to explore the lives of Aneezah, Bilal, Nasrudeen, Rodiyyah and others, but to be dazzled by the reality of life and love. The aesthetic impact of the love they all shared is evergreen.
August 10, 2020
In a Jebba home where tribal crisis (The Yoruba - Fulani crisi ) has left its mark, Bilaal (Yoruba lad) grew to be a troubled man burdened with the task of being the one to save his family from abject poverty, helping his mother through her sickness and weighed down by his own demons. He questions his shaking faith as he deals with the fact that his father too, has been absent due to his arrest (for being an OPC terrorist member) for what seems like an eternity.
Aneezah Cisse (Hausa-Fulani lady), a vivacious bubbly young woman, with her own trials will cross paths with Bilaal, but Bilaal, with his emotional switches, shivering faith, unpreparedness, will suffer uncertainties and the author will take the reader on wavy waters with the characters which made me not see a lot coming even with my guessing dexterity.
Poetic Nikkah is told in switching points of views where Bilaal, Anisa or anyone else took up the narration depending on the chapter, that gave me a lot of insight to each character's thoughts. I like the Islamic infusion and the way the author wrote of the challenges of being in love as a young Muslim. The book deserves a read really.
We don't document our stories enough and reading stories by writers from home (who take the effort to) is a way to promote our literature. Ibrahim has documented a lot about religion, politics, war, tribalism, and love. Poetic Nikkah is a novel I enjoyed.
Available on @Okadabooks
Aneezah Cisse (Hausa-Fulani lady), a vivacious bubbly young woman, with her own trials will cross paths with Bilaal, but Bilaal, with his emotional switches, shivering faith, unpreparedness, will suffer uncertainties and the author will take the reader on wavy waters with the characters which made me not see a lot coming even with my guessing dexterity.
Poetic Nikkah is told in switching points of views where Bilaal, Anisa or anyone else took up the narration depending on the chapter, that gave me a lot of insight to each character's thoughts. I like the Islamic infusion and the way the author wrote of the challenges of being in love as a young Muslim. The book deserves a read really.
We don't document our stories enough and reading stories by writers from home (who take the effort to) is a way to promote our literature. Ibrahim has documented a lot about religion, politics, war, tribalism, and love. Poetic Nikkah is a novel I enjoyed.
Available on @Okadabooks
October 5, 2020
Awesome read. Every line was worth it. Rated it 4 so that I can have 1 star for reading.
November 1, 2020
A victorious man is not only he who hurts, hemorrhage and healed but also become a healer of the sick mind. These would echoe my favourite line from numerous punchlines from the book "Poetic Nikaah". "A monster son of a monster back as preacher"
I had enough time but I read this book within 24 hours, such is the grip the book would have on you if you laid your hands on it.
It is story of a boy, Bilal who was dished the bitterest of circumstances in his early life, but he would against all odds challenge those circumstances to victory and become a beacon of hope to the younger generation.
Bilal would be the perfect fit for a filial son who loved his mother even in his dreams. This love for his mother would be the reason for his expulsion from the higher institution.
Amidst his chaotic life is Aneezah Cisse who was willing to dare many consequences of tribal differences to be with the first man he truly loved, but like many other spousal journey that happened when the train was faster than the plane, it would be in futile and Aneezah would later marry their big brother in school after so much rejection.
Bilal would later evolve enough strength to navigate his on nuptial voyage with Alfa Malik's daughter, the man who played a part in his revival, and would reunite with his father.
If you need a book that tells your own story and more, Poetic Nikaah is that book, and the only reason I am not rating it 5 stars is because I deserve 1 star for reading the book within 24 hour.
I had enough time but I read this book within 24 hours, such is the grip the book would have on you if you laid your hands on it.
It is story of a boy, Bilal who was dished the bitterest of circumstances in his early life, but he would against all odds challenge those circumstances to victory and become a beacon of hope to the younger generation.
Bilal would be the perfect fit for a filial son who loved his mother even in his dreams. This love for his mother would be the reason for his expulsion from the higher institution.
Amidst his chaotic life is Aneezah Cisse who was willing to dare many consequences of tribal differences to be with the first man he truly loved, but like many other spousal journey that happened when the train was faster than the plane, it would be in futile and Aneezah would later marry their big brother in school after so much rejection.
Bilal would later evolve enough strength to navigate his on nuptial voyage with Alfa Malik's daughter, the man who played a part in his revival, and would reunite with his father.
If you need a book that tells your own story and more, Poetic Nikaah is that book, and the only reason I am not rating it 5 stars is because I deserve 1 star for reading the book within 24 hour.
December 18, 2020
"The fault is in our hearts, not in the stars"(favourite quote)
A story of identity, love, family, education, inter-tribal war, religion, marriage, society and the reality of destiny in the life of a young Muslim. Set in the historical city of Jebba in Kwara, and Lagos state, and in recent times.
This book amongst other things portrays and give a voice to the adverse effect of inter-tribal war, and clashes in the society. (When elephants fight, flowers crush & die)
Revolves around the life and love story, of Bilal Oyatomi & Aneezah Cisse. Bilal, depressed and from a broken family, in his search of love, identity, meaning and the whereabouts of his father found this same life and love drowning before him just when he was only finding meaning... Aneezah Cisse, the beautiful and rebellious Hausa-Fulani daughter from a wealthy home find her paths cross with Bilal. Read to find out how she tries to grasp free from the clutches of religion, culture & her mother's strict rules and principles. How did she react to the many corners her life suddenly took? How much more strong and courageous could she be?
Written in simple, poetic and accessible language. The poesy and literary richness of the book are deep and thought-provoking. The narrative style even makes it more relatable and detailed. Ibrahim Olalere takes us through an emotional hullabaloo as he makes us sad and then as swiftly as possible, make us smile again. Sometimes you want to pity the characters but you're marvelled by their strength and survival, you can't help but admire them.
January 12, 2021
An awesome read!
January 12, 2021
A remarkable one
December 18, 2020
From the opening scene in Jebba, Kwara state, Nigeria, Bilal Oyatomi's father gets arrested for domestic violence. In the rest of the story, Bilal wears the burden of his father's absence alone, with the uncertainty of mentioning his many questions to his sick mother whose life he fights for. Drowning in toxic thoughts of his own mind, this young Muslim Yoruba boy gains admission into a state polytechnic where he crosses path with Aneezah Cisse, the rebellious daughter of a wealthy Hausa-Fulani man, and Nasrudeen, his faculty president.
Written in the POVs of Bilal, Aneezah and Nas, the author takes us through the pain, struggle, faith, and determination of these Muslim kids as they try to maintain a balance between love and religion. It's not everyday you read books that explore the themes that were featured in Poetic Nikaah.
In this book, you will feel pain, sadness, anger, but above all, you'll experience the immense joy that comes with a happy ending. There couldn't have been a better one. I absolutely did not see that twist coming.
As a Christian, this book taught me so much about Islamic religion and its definition of love. Countless times, I switched between it and my Chrome app, browsing for the meanings of some basic Islamic words that were used in the story and they have such beautiful meanings.
The author did a really great job of writing a story with such powerful and poetic words. And I really liked those beautiful epigraphs; they held lovely quotes and poems.
I totally recommend this book to everyone and I also look forward to reading Ibrahim's many other works that will come in the future.
Written in the POVs of Bilal, Aneezah and Nas, the author takes us through the pain, struggle, faith, and determination of these Muslim kids as they try to maintain a balance between love and religion. It's not everyday you read books that explore the themes that were featured in Poetic Nikaah.
In this book, you will feel pain, sadness, anger, but above all, you'll experience the immense joy that comes with a happy ending. There couldn't have been a better one. I absolutely did not see that twist coming.
As a Christian, this book taught me so much about Islamic religion and its definition of love. Countless times, I switched between it and my Chrome app, browsing for the meanings of some basic Islamic words that were used in the story and they have such beautiful meanings.
The author did a really great job of writing a story with such powerful and poetic words. And I really liked those beautiful epigraphs; they held lovely quotes and poems.
I totally recommend this book to everyone and I also look forward to reading Ibrahim's many other works that will come in the future.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews