Friday, December 7, 2007

You know Eid is near when...

Assalamu Aleikum!

You know Eid is near when you start seeing goats tethered on the front lawns of the houses.

It's Jummah here in the Empty Quarter and as I made my way to prayers I noticed that many houses had new visitors. There were goats tied to trees eating out of cardboard boxes. They looked calm and serene; oblivious to their fate in a matter of weeks.

The translator at our school is going to perform the sacrifice himself. He's never done it before but he says he has a few brothers who will advise him. Over here in the UAE there are fewer rules with things Islamic (other than Islamic rules of course). I just imagine the bureaucracy involved back in the UK. All because of health and safety.

It puts me in mind of my daughter's aqiqa a few years ago in Wales at one of the New Muslim Project camps. A very good friend from London had bought a farm in rural Wales and was running it despite having no experience in farming. My daughter's aqiqa was performed by his son. I must say how professional he was. And also how well the family ran the farm. The meat was made into a delicious meal for all the guests at the camp. One sister even made our daughter a cake. Truly unforgettable. But despite all this it will be a very long time before I would wield the knife.

Masalamah
Yahya

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