Few moments would endure in my childhood like the time my father first sacrificed a whole ram on eid-al adha.

My father was the local imam of our neighbourhood, he was not wealthy but he was friendly with all and fought with none. Always smiling and with easy temperament.

My father performed many duties on our street as the imam, leading prayers at the mosque and coordinating visitations whenever a community member had any occasion such as a wedding, child naming or a burial. All of which he did gladly in service to Allah and his community but one of such duties was different for my father the slaughtering of the sacrificial rams, cows or camel on salah was a little difficult for my father as my childhood eyes noticed in the ways that children often do but adults sometims miss. Therewas a wistful look in his eyes whenever he was called to sacrifice an animal for his neighbours. That yearning, the unmistaken longing for the chance to finally slaughter a ram for Allah on Eid just like his fellow Muslim brethren.

Eid-il adha is a beloved Islamic festival dating back as far as the time of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, may peace be upon him and his family) which involves slaughtering selected animals such as rams, cows or camels to Allah on the tenth day of Dhul-hijjah of the lunar calendar. All muslims love this festival even non-muslims as well due to the abundance of meat to go around. We children then love it too due to the many fun activities it involves. We would all dress up in our nice clothes mostly new ones. Every passing adult would gift us in presents cash mostly, so that by the end of the day I had a couple thousands. I was rich i tell you. We would go pray on the official Eid prayer grounds and after the prayers we the children would group together running and playing around and we would ask every adult we knew to buy us icecream of any kind that we wanted. When we got home we would watch the older kids sneak out their father's rams and rustle them into a battle. It was always awe inspiring to watch the huge reverse and slam together in a fierce collison. The ram that retreat finally, was the loser. It became a matter of personal pride to be the son of the man with the toughest and unbeatable ram on the street. The illegal ram battles would go on until the adults came back and prepared them for slaughter. Which was usually carried out by a few hired butchers who would carve up the meat while the women cleaned them, by washing the intestines off of dung and cooked the meals of the day.

Salah meals were always the most delicious of the year with the various spices adorning the different soups and stews with all kinds of flavours. For that reason alone Salah was my favorite festival. The favorite game for we the children was the horn-stick battles. After all the rams had been sacrificed, we would ask the butchers to get us their horns of which we would mount on wooden handles and roll on the floor until we them clashed together. The person whose horn flew off its handle was the loser. I loved this game and I won quite a number of such them too. Although, that was usually because I would secretly nail my horns to their wooden handles which made them virtually impossible to beat. It was during one of such victories while I was over celebrating that Abdurahman pointed to me and said;

"Why are you so happy? Your father didn't kill any ram this year and that horn that you use to win is not even yours. It was gifted to you."

I immediately calmed and began thinking about this. Yes, Abdurrahman spoke the truth, my father hadn't slaughtered any ram this year. He hadn't slaughtered any ram last year either or the year before. I usually asked him about this whenever Salah was approaching and our street was steadily filling up with all kinds of sacrificial animal from the neighbours. But all he usually said was;

"Very soon, insha Allah!"

Goats and rams were the common sight but the impressive ones were the cows. Huge gigantic beasts with humps so thick and horns so huge they made them impressive and terrifying at the same time. Abdurahman's father usually bought a cow and two rams each year. One year, he even bought a whole camel. And the entire neighourhood was overimpressed at the sight of the magnificent animal. People came from miles around just to see it and when it was slaughtered that year. Everyone stood in awe and watched before going off to slaughter theirs.

Technically, my father slaughters animals during Salah every year because he was generally loved by all was usually the popular choice for performing the initial slaughter. He was happy to do it and he never charged a fee whether in price or meat. He accepted whatever he was given or not given with a smile. He was a Imam and people loved to have him slaughter for them as opposed to a stranger or a butcher. But he had never really slaughtered an animal that belonged to him or us, to our family.

Immediately, I dropped the horned stick in my hand and marched off to talk to Abi (my father) as I usually did whenever I was upset. I found him about to perform the slaughter for yet another neighbour and I knew exactly how he would do it. He had the butchers tie the ram's four legs and lay the animal as comfortable as possible on his left side facing the Kaaba (in Mecca), he hid his sheathed dagger out of the animal's sight in order not to upset it and with his left hand he tilted the animals long neck upwards and backwards propopping up its jugular and grabbed it's neck firmly. And in three swift movements he slit the neck veins and blood begab gushing out fiercely. He ordered the release of one the ram's legs from the knot to allow the animal jerk and bleed out as painlessly as possible. I waited as he cleaned the dagger by wiping it on the animal's fur and then with water and then I went to sit pouting on our front yard waiting for him.

"What's the matter with you, Adam? Why aren't you playing with your friends?" He asked on seeing me.

"I was playing with them earlier, Abi until Abdurahman said something that really upset me."

"Oh, and what was that?"

"He said that my father did not slaughter any animal this year."

My father's face sunk slightly and he became quiet for a bit.

"Don't you worry my little Sheikh, next year's Eid we would surely slaughter one for ourselves, insha Allah." he said a minute later.

"Really, Abi? Do you mean it?"

"Yes, insha Allah!"

There was a way in which he said the "insha Allah" that made me doubtful he would ever do it in the first place. So I said;

"Abi, I want us to have a ram next year for ourselves or preferably a cow and two camels or I will not take part in Salah next year!"

I said it matter-of-factly and stomped inside leaving him agasped standing there.

Later that day my mother scolded my father first.

"Why do you let him become so outspoken? You will spoil this boy!"

And then she scolded me.

"Why did you talk to your father in such a way? Don't you know that you have hurt his feelings. The others always made fun of your father and now you too."

As usual, it took my mother to bring me back to my senses but also one other thing that happened later that day. We always had more than enough meat to spare because my father was the one who was usually selected to perform the initial slaughter for our neighbours. And as was customary whoever slaughters the animals gets the neck of the animal no matter the size or type of animal. So, later that day the women from the different households brought the raw necks of their various animals as a gift for my father. The women usually did this, but for some reason Abu Abdurahman personally, always brought the necks of his two rams and cow. He greeted my mother warmly but asked for my father instead.

"Salam aleikum, Abu Adam."

"Waleikum salam, Abu Abdurahman. How is your Eid going, blessed I hope?"

"Oh, very well. We have been most blessed by our Creator to have slaughtered another cow and two rams this year, despite the harsh economy."

I noticed the leer in his tone as Abu Abdurahman said this and I knew he wasn't being kind inspite of his wide smile but my father simply responded with a warm smile.

"Allah is the greatest!"

"Yes, indeed and oh, didn't you slaughter an animal for yourself, Abu Adam?" he asked though knowing perfectly well that we didn't.

"Oh no, not this year, Next Eid, insha Allah." my father said calmly and with a straight face.

"Oh, well. That's fine, I brought your gift as the one who slaughtered my own animals."

"You really didn't have to, O Abu Abdurahman."

"Well, it was nothing. And I must confess I admire you O, Abu Adam. You don't slaughter animals and yet your pot is full of other people's meat."

On this my father had no reply. And I watched as his face froze with a tinge of pain.

"Anyways, I shall be leaving you now. I still have a lot of meat carving to do. Asalam aleikum warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu."

"Waleikum salam warahmotullahi wabarakatu, Abu Abdurahman."

My mother emerged from the room to collect the big bowl laden with meat and she went into her monologue of complaints. But this time, I finally understood and even supported my mother when she was cross.

"Every year! Every single year. He comes and asksthese squestions that he already knows the answer to. Why does he ask? You didn't kill slaughter an animal for yourself this year?" she said in mock imitation of Abu Abdurahman. "How does it concern him? He is just being unkind. I have the mind to toss all of his meat down the trash right now."

She went on and on while my father quietly listened. I knew he was hurting because he was quiet the rest of the day. My father's definition of a bad mood was to be quiet while my mother's, was to go on and on. I was ashamed about what I had said to him. I had indeed joined the likes of Abdurahman and his father who mocked my father and I promised myself not to do so again or be impressed by them ever again even if they brought horses and camels for Eid next year. And If Abdurahman dared to mention my father again I would box his ears instead of getting upset.

Still as I went to bed that night I hoped that my father would buy an animal for next year's Eid as he had promised, and I dreamed of my little brother Ahmad and I riding on the back of agreatt black and white ram parading the street for everyone to see. A ram that would defeat all the other rams in battle and make an unbeatable horn stick that I would defeat Abdurahman with and all the other boys in hornstick battle.

"Insha Allah." I murmured as I fell asleep.

Later on, in the following year, my father was distinctively happier and I later asked him;

"Oh, Abi! You are smiling so much, why are you so happy.?"

"O Adam, I am happy because I have finally bought our animal for Eid this year."

I was confused; "But isn't Salah still very far away?"

"Yes but I bought this animal early so that I will not forget to buy it later as I had promised you."

"Really? Thank you, Abi." I was overjoyed just like my father was, finally we were going to have an animal of our own to sacrifice on Salah. But I wanted to know more.

"Is it a big one?"

"Well....its um..."

I was so excited. "Oh oh, is it a cow?"

"Wha...?"

"Abi, is it a camel??"

"Calm down, my little sheikh. You will find out soon enough when I bring it home next week."

I could barely sleep a wink that night. My head was full of the amazing animals that I had seen on our street.

"Maybe Abi, would bring home a golden camel from Saudi Arabia. In sha Allah."

I gave my mother no peace that morning with all my questions about our upcoming animal. She had no room to breathe, up until she dropped me off at school.

"Ay, Adam. Give me peace! You will see it when your father brings it home today. Now off you go to your class!"

When I got home that day, my father was not home yet and I had to keep a lookout by the window until I saw him bring it in.

To my disappointment. It wasn't a camel. It wasn't a cow. It was a little ram and it wasn't even as big as the ones Abu Abdurahman used to buy. It was just a little bigger than a goat. It was indeed a fine animal. Its just that it was small, with small blond horns, black eyes and pure white fur.

"Oh, Adam come out and see it. I have brought the ram. Come look, quickly!"

But I didn't want to go out. I had already seen it and I didn't like it but I didn't want to hurt my father's feelings again with my brutal honesty and so I hid behind a curtain until my mother came out to get me.

"Do you not hear your father? Go and see the ram!"

I made a face that looked something like, "Please, don't make me go outside." but my mother was not having it. She gave me a face that said "You asked for a ram. Now go to your father."

I held my brother Ahmad's hand for emotional support and we both went out together.

The look on my father's face was that of pure joy. He was a man absolutely happy and proud of himself.

"Hey, Adam were you asleep? Come, come closer. You can touch it if you like, this is a very gentle animal."

I quickly carried my brother.

"No, Abi. Ahmad is afraid to go any closer.

"Okay, but do you like it?" he asked me again and I looked at my mom who glared at me as if to say.

"You had better say something nice."

So, I said; "It's very...gentle."

"Yes, it is." my father beamed once again in childish delight and I became slightly irritated with his happiness.

"Doesn't he realise that this was a small animal?" One look from Abu Abdurahman and the rest and they would make fun of it, of us. The honour of our family was dependent on the animal and the best way to shut them up was to buy preferably a camel or at least a cow but not a midget of a ram, just barely bigger than a goat. I thought of a delicate way to ask as I said;

"Erm, Abi?"

"Yes, my darling little Zheikh?"

"Don't the Mallams who sell rams have a erm....bigger one?"

Immediately the words came out I could feel mother's glare on my skull but I dared not look at her.

"What...?" my father asked.

"I mean... it just doesn't... look very big."

"Well... when you come closer you'll see that it's big, enough." he said holding the ram tenderly as if it was something really precious like a brand new car.

"Yes, exactly!" my mom added "And after feeding it a few times, it'll surely become much bigger. Right, Adam?"

"Erm...of course, Ummee. Much bigger." I said finally looking at her as we both stared at my father happily patting his miniature ram.

Soon enough the neighbours came nosing around for a look. One by one they came, full of pleasantries but with eyes always fixed on "China White". That was the name Ahmad gave our family ram because of his near spotless white fur and blond horns. Ahmad, I couldn't blame for giving the name because he was only three and a half, but my dad I did blame entirely for going along with it and acting like the ram was a new member of our family. He acted as one whose wife had delivered a brand new baby always smiling and constantly hovering over China White, when it was clearly an unimpressive nama (ram). And the neighbours knew that too, because after snooping around a few minutes they would comment;

"Is that your ram for Salah?"

"Is it old enough for the slaughter?"

"It is on the short side, I see."

"Your nama is certainly down to earth."

One by one they sneered but my father never seemed to notice nor cared, he merely responded politely. Abu Abdurahman himself came over one Friday afternoon. In fact, I had expected him sooner.

"Salam aleikum warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu. How are you and your family this wonderful Jumuah, Abu Adam?"

"Waleikum salam warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu. We're fine, alhamdulillah Abu Abdurahman. Thank you very much."

"I see that you have a nama in your compound, are you helping someone to raise it?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. It is ours. This is our qurbani."

"Masha Allah! Alhamdulillah. I had to ask since this is new for you and strange even as you have never slaughtered for the Eid festival before now."

"Oh that is true but hopefully, this year would be different. Insha Allah."

'Is that so? Do you mind if I take a closer look?"

"Not at all, please do." and my father led him to China White.

"By Allah, this is one small creature, Mallam. Are you sure it is even a ram? It looks more like an overgrown baby goat."

"Oh no, akhi. I can assure you that this is a ram, and it is old enough for the slaughter."

"Indeed." he sneered "At least you were smart enough to buy it much earlier to save against the price hike of the festival. Hopefully, it will become bigger and of decent size by Eid day."

"Oh, yes. We plan on feeding him very well." my father said patting his ram tenderly again and Abu Abdurahman laughed heartily.

"Oh, Abu Adam! The affection you're showing your animal one would think it was a brand new virgin bride and not the midget of a creature that it is."

My father smiled nervously and I hated to see him embarrassed in such a way.

"Allah has blessed my family again this year and my brother-in-law is already scouting for sizeable animals of top grade qualities for me in the North."

"That's good. Alhamdulillah." my father said simply.

"Well, I shall take my leave now, Abu Adam. Take care to feed your little ram, it won't turn into an impressive cow, but at least it won't grow shorter before your very eyes."

"I will, thank you very much sir."

After that I knew I would never again be fond of Abu Abdurahman. I was irked by my father too because he only ever smiled and was polite. He should have told him off properly.

But that was the least of my problems, because my father's devotion to the ram became an annoyance.

He made a special place for China White in our compound. He kept it in a comfortable shade and tied a loose rope around its neck as opposed to the leg because that would end up tightening and eventually cause it a huge discomfort. My father prepared a big bucket of fresh water for it every morning and cut a batch of fresh grass for it every three days. Then he increased my chores by making me clean out the cage every morning and dispose it of its dung in the evening.

He would also spend time with the animal. He would take a seat in the compound as opposed to sitting with the rest of us inside the house just to be closer to his nama. And when it was bedtime, he would stay out longer than usual before coming in. Forcing my mother to comment:

"I'm surprised that you're coming in already, I thought that you might also want to take the bed outside and sleep beside your ram."

She said evidently a littlupsetps about the whole attention my dad was giving his nama. Every Friday morning, he washed his animal lovingly like it was a Ferrari taking us to the Jumuah prayers. When my friends and I had a football game in the compound he stopped us and ordered us outside saying we were scaring and disturbing it. While, he used to enjoy seeing us play in the compound. On one night during a power outage, my mother asked him to turn on the generator but he refused, fearing the fumes from the generator set might choke and kill China White.

"Subhanallah! Abu Adam! You'd rather the mosquitoes eat us alive than disturb your nama?" My mother complained. That night, I realised that China White was a very important member of our family.

The next morning as I woke up to go to school I noticed that China White was not at his normal pole but I couldn't care less about that. I reached our gate to open it and suddenly, I felt a force from behind push me forwards and onto the floor. It was China White, it had hit me a little but missed due its inexperience and hit the gate mostly and also collapsed onto the floor as well.

"SUBHANALLAH!! Are you alright?!" I heard my father shout as he came running out of the house. It was not hurt at in anyway just startled but I fake injury and laid on the floor for dramatic effect but instead of my father reaching out to me, to help me get up; he went straight to his ram.

"Oh dear Lord! I hope his alright!" He gasped checking China White for any signs of injury while almost ignoring me.

"Sorry Adam, please get up and be more careful next time."

"Be more careful next time?" I said indignant "Your ram hit me and why wasn't he tied up?"

"Oh, I decided to let him roam freely about the compound. He was feeling sad just being tied up all day." He said and took his ram to clean leaving me standing there in anger until my mother came and took me to school.

"Allah help me, my husband is in love with a ram." She said.

"Ummee, that ram has GOT TO GO!" I replied angrily as she held my brother and I on our way to school, I was in a half daze from poor sleep. I regretted my father buying the ram, I regretted ever asking him to buy it in the first place and I couldn't wait for Salah to come so we could be free from having China White in our lives again. Then a thought occurred to me.

"What if Salah comes and Abi refuses to slaughter it because he has become attached to it?" I asked my mother desperately.

"No way! Either he slaughters it on Salah day or I kill them both myself! Now off you go to class. See you soon."

I was trying to concentrate on my work when Hakeem my best friend nudged me in class.

"Adam, I have been calling you for a long time but you're not responding, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, it is just that I am very tired since I couldn't sleep properly last night because of my father's nama."

"Oh, too bad, sorry." he said kindly and I smiled in appreciation before Abdurahman blurted out childishly;

"How can such a ram like that disturb your sleep, when he is no bigger than a mosquito!" He said and the majority of the class roared in laughter. I was thoroughly embarrassed but I remembered how his father had talked to my father and I promised myself never to back down from him.

"It is not small...like a mosquito. It is big enough!" I yelled at the top of my voice.

"No, I saw it. It is very small, smaller than even the small rams that my father used to buy." he added.

"Our ram is just a little bit short but it is not small, and after I feed him he will soon become very big. So big that all of you will get very big slices of meat in the upcoming Salah from me!" i yelled again.

"Really, Adam? Very big slices? For me as well?" Hakeem asked excitedly.

"Yes, especially for you, Hakeem." I said and he smiled broadly.

"And me too!"

"Yes, don't forget me!"

"Yes, for all of you. You are all welcome to my house for a big feast of meat." I announced and the rest of the class roared in applause, all except Abdurahman who asked again.

"But how are you going to give us all a big feast with such a small ram?"

"I have told you it is not that small, it is just short and let me tell you something, China White is very strong! He can defeat even bigger animals like the ones your father used to buy. Your two rams and even your cow, my father's China White will defeat them all."

"Yay!!! CHINA WHITE! CHINA WHITE! CHINA WHITE!" The class cheered and Abdurahman couldn't raise anymore objections and in that moment, my perception towards China White changed from one of an annoyance to one of a pride.

Ever since then I was the best farmer any animal could want. I swept it's floors in the morning, fetched a big bucket of water for it and gave it some grass. After I return home from school i collected several plantain, banana and yam peels from the neighbours and I would cut them into slices to make it a proper peel salad dressing before giving it to eat. I also took our left overs and gave it to him and even some of my school lunch as well.

"Why didn't you eating your lunch, Adam? Your lunch box is still full."

My mother asked when she saw me my full lunch box.

"It's alright I wasn't hungry, Ummi." I said. Though I was very hungry that day. I knew I had to fatten up China White in preparation for Salah. I couldn't disappoint my friends and give Abdurahman the satisfaction. My family's honour depended on it.

She sighed; "First, the father and now the son. What is the matter with these men and their ram?"

So I cared and nurtured it even more than my father ever did. Ahmad and I would leave our friends to play with him until he was our very best friend. We would feed him until he was a genuinely thick ram for its stature, as it never get more than an inch or so taller.

And by the time Salah arrived and all the rest of our street had lined up with our neighbours' different sacrificial animals I began to dread the forthcoming slaughter of China White.

"Surely, Abi wouldn't kill our ram? He has to buy another one to slaughter and not end our dear China White?"

Somehow I had faith that my father had become too attached to him to slaughter him just like the rest of us were, except for my mother. And on Eid day, after the prayers I was relieved to see my father was once again busy with helping out our neighbours to slaughter their animals.

But, alas, eventually he came home and tied up its feet and when he took out his sheathed dagger Ahmad screamed in alarm and I held his leg.

"No!"

"What's this, Ahmad? Adam what are you doing?" he asked perplexed.

"No, Abi no!" I cried "He's my friend."

"Oh my Lord, these boys!" My mother said smiling.

"I'm sorry, Adam but it's time to say goodbye to China White. Indeed, you and Ahmad have cared for it very much but now it is time to show Allah how much we are grateful for everything that He has given us."

Still, I held on to my father's leg. "Come on, Adam. This is why you asked me to buy you a ram, remember?"

Still I held on to him until my mother said; "If you don't let go of your father, what are you going to feed your friends when they come over? You promised them big meats remember?"

And with that I let go of my father and he slit our ram's throat like I had seen him do a thousand times.

Ahmad and I cried at the loss of our dear friend, whom we cleaned, fed, played with and sang to so many times before. My father bought it just a few months earlier in the year in order so he could afford it but it felt more like he had been with us forever.

My sadness was indeed short lived as I tasted the sweet kebabed meat of the ram that i had fatten up. And when my friends came over, I was greatful to Allah that I could keep my word and host them all with thick slices of meat, Alhamdulillah, even Abdurahman.

That year, nobody else brought meat for my father except Abu Abdurahman whom my father turned away politely saying;

"In keeping with Islamic injunctions, the one who slaughters should not be given meat, rather he should give others who have not been able to slaughter."

"Oh, I know that. I just thought you could use some more meat yourself since your ram was quite small." he said.

"Well, size does not matter to us or to Allah our cherished Creator. He only cares about our intentions. So I will implore you to please give this meat to others who have not slaughtered and the needy as we shall also do."

"Humphf, suit yourself." he said turning away.

"Thank you very much, sir."

I looked at my father and he winked at me and we both smiled. I was grateful to Allah, for restoring my family's honour even if it meant sacrificing my dear friend China White.

My chest was further swollen with pride later that day after I beat Abdurahman at hornsticks. I beat him fairly with China White's little horn even though he had brought the biggest horn on the biggest ram his father slaughtered. It was the happiest day of my life.

Afterwards, after everyone else had gone home and only the four of us were left, we all gazed at the pole that used to hold our precious ram.

"You know, I'm really going to miss that ram!"

"YOU ARE??" my father gasped in surprise and my mother laughed at him. We all joined her. When we were all quiet once again I said;

"Abi?"

"Hmm, Adam?"

"Will you be able to buy another ram for us next year?" I asked and my father smiled.

"Insha Allah, Adam. Insha Allah!"

THE END

Nice story

Thanks boss

Ololade1999:
Nice story