Ajami is the use of the Arabic script to write African languages — and for centuries, it has been a powerful tool of learning, faith, and expression across West Africa. For the Fulani people, Ajami was more than writing — it was a cultural treasure.
What Exactly Is Ajami?
Ajami (from the Arabic word ʿajamī, meaning “foreign” or “non-Arabic”) refers to African languages written using modified Arabic letters. Fulfulde Ajami, for instance, uses Arabic letters adapted to capture the unique sounds of Fulfulde. It emerged as early as the 15th century and was widely used by scholars, poets, traders, and Islamic teachers.
Why Did Fulani Scholars Use Ajami?
Fulani Islamic scholars like Shehu Usman Danfodiyo and his followers were deeply rooted in Arabic education and the Islamic intellectual tradition. They used Ajami to make religious, moral, and social teachings accessible to people who did not understand Arabic but spoke Fulfulde.
Ajami helped preserve Fulani culture while spreading literacy and religious understanding. Many Ajami texts include poetry, legal writings, sermons, and even local histories.
Ajami vs Arabic — What’s the Difference?
While Ajami uses Arabic letters, it isn’t Arabic. The structure, vocabulary, and grammar are Fulfulde. To make the script work, scholars had to modify or repurpose Arabic characters to reflect Fulfulde sounds — especially consonants and vowels not found in Arabic.
So, if you can read Arabic, you may recognize the letters — but without knowledge of Fulfulde, you won’t understand the text.
The Risk of Losing Ajami
Sadly, Ajami is under threat. As Latin-based education systems spread, many young people no longer learn to read or write Ajami. Old manuscripts are fading, and without proper documentation, we risk losing generations of knowledge written in Ajami by Fulani scholars and poets.
A Call to Preserve It
Reviving Ajami is part of reviving Fulani identity. By learning to read it, sharing digitized poems, and studying the works of scholars like Shehu Usman Fodiyo, Nana Asma’u, Modibbo Raji, and a lot more MBA, we keep a vital part of our heritage alive.
Explore our Ajami-view poems
Each poem on this website comes with an Ajami version. Visit the pages of your favorite poets to experience the original Fulfulde writing as it was preserved through generations.
