“Papa, Papa! When are we going to get a goat of our own? You had said that we will be buying a goat this year. Last year we didn’t offer any sacrifice at all as you were not well, but you had said then that next year things would be different and you would get us a goat,” Asif pestered his father for the umpteenth time a week before Eidul Azha.

“My dearest son, we are offering a sacrifice this year. I told you we have taken two shares in a cow that Umair Uncle has got and on Eid’s first day we will go there in the morning and take part in the sacrifice and distribution of the meat shares,” explained Mr Hafeez. He had just returned after a tiring day at his new job but he still made the effort to patiently explain things to his 13-year-old son.

“No! This is not the same as having a goat of our own,” Asif continued stubbornly. “We always got the biggest goat in the neighbourhood every year, but this would not matter to you because you didn’t use to be here on Eidul Azha. You stayed in Dubai so how would you know that we had so much fun taking the goat around for walks and how all my friends got impressed with us.”

his 13-year-old son.

“No! This is not the same as having a goat of our own,” Asif continued stubbornly. “We always got the biggest goat in the neighbourhood every year. But this would not matter to you because you didn’t use to be here on Eidul Azha. You stayed in Dubai so how would you know that we had so much fun taking the goat around for walks and how all my friends got impressed with us.”

Saying this, Asif went out of the room in a huff and Mr Hafeez dejectedly made his way to his own room to change and freshen up. In the now quiet room, Asif’s grandfather put down the newspaper he had been reading in a corner. He had silently heard the exchange and he knew what had to be done. So he made his way towards Asif’s room and went inside.

Asif was sitting on a beanbag and looking very grumpy. He ignored the arrival of his grandfather, who was by far his favourite person. But grandpa didn’t mind this and sat down on the bed and made himself comfortable. He took out a packet of roasted peanuts that he had in his pocket and started to munch them.

Grandpa sat as quietly as Asif, but not as sad. Soon enough, Asif could not stay quiet for long and came and lay down on the bed with his head in his grandpa’s lap.

“See how unfair Papa is being! I feel so ashamed when someone asks me where my goat is. All my friends are busy taking care of their animals and nobody even plays cricket anymore! Only I am left out! What’s the big deal in getting a goat? Papa doesn’t care about me!” Asif tried to get his grandfather on his side as he complained.

“You do have a point, yes playing with a sacrificial animal and caring for it is such an important part of Eidul Azha. Don’t worry, tomorrow is Sunday, we’ll go over to Umair’s house and see the cow he has bought and you can help in taking care of it while I talk with Umair. Okay, happy now?” grandpa patted his back as he spoke.

“See, even you don’t understand me! The cow is at Umair uncle’s place not ours. It’s just not the same for us kids, I want a sacrificial animal in our own home to play with and take it for a walk,” Asif continued with his argument.

“Oh I understand you dear child, but do you understand what the whole concept of sacrificing an animal on Eidul Azha is about?”

“Of course I do! We do it to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice of his son Prophet Ismail, on Almighty Allah’s command. Every adult Muslim has to do it,” Asif quickly narrated.

“Good! You know the reason. But let me just add a bit to it. We commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s acts on Eidul Azha and Hajj, like the offering of sacrifice and the stoning of the Shaitan during Haj, because he was totally obedient to Allah, as was his son, Prophet Ismail. Allah wants us to be as devoted as them and their father-son relationship is an ideal we must aspire to achieve.

“The father readily obeyed Allah’s command, without even trying to argue and save what was dearest to him, his son. And the son was as devoted to Allah and his father that he didn’t care about his life. He just wanted to obey Allah and didn’t want his father to feel uncertain when carrying out the sacrifice. He supported Allah’s and his father’s order and wishes,” having said this, grandpa paused for a while to let it sink in.

It did sink in as Asif now got up and sat crossed legged in front of the wise old man. “Prophet Ibrahim didn’t collect a crowd to display his devotion to Allah when taking Ismail for the sacrifice. He would have impressed many if he has done so. They would probably have admired his faith and devotion, and considered him a very holy man,” grandpa reasoned.

Asif was now totally focused on what he was hearing, the look of sadness had been replaced by curiosity and interest.

“We offer the sacrifice simply as an act of submission and devotion to Allah. Yes, caring for and loving the animal to be sacrificed is a good thing because it again is reflective of sacrificing something that is dear to us in the name of Allah. Showing off how large and expensive the animal to be sacrificed is, just goes against the spirit of the occasion. You get nothing from it, and maybe you hurt a lot of feelings when showing off, as you are feeling hurt now by seeing the animals your friends are parading in the neighbourhood.”

“Yes, I guess you are right about the showing off part. But what was the need to take two shares in a cow? We could have bought a goat of our own, and I promise not to show off if papa gets one!” Asif pleaded.

“Beta, one needs to offer a sacrifice according to one’s financial capacity. Two shares in a cow is costing us Rs10,000 each while one goat would have cost us double the amount. And then it would have been on behalf of just one adult person.

“Your father has just found a job and it doesn’t pay as much as the one he had in Dubai. It is the best he can do in these circumstances. You know he had been very ill that was why he had to leave his job in Dubai and come back last year. And the reason why we didn’t do any sacrifice last year was because he was in financial crises and didn’t have much money after spending so much on his treatment. At least this year he is able to recover and find a job that offers him enough to take two cow shares for sacrificing.”

Asif couldn’t meet his grandpa’s eyes and looked down. He knew all this but had ignored the facts in his desire to show off.

“God willing, things will be better next year. You had been used to luxuries and fulfilment of your wants when your father lived alone in Dubai and would send back home enough money to make us do whatever we wanted.

“You are right in saying that your father doesn’t know how much fun you had during the earlier occasions of Eidul Azha because he was not here. Yes, we all had a good time at home with each other but he spent all those occasions alone in a foreign place. He sacrificed his fun so that we could have fun. Don’t you think so?”

Asif didn’t look up because he couldn’t. The tears in his eyes seemed to have made his eyelids too heavy. As grandpa reached out to put his arm around Asif, the boy hugged him and started crying openly.

“I am so sorry! I feel so ashamed of thinking only about myself and not realising the problems papa has been going through. I shouldn’t have spoken so rudely to him! How I must have hurt him!” Asif spoke his heart out as he cried.

“Come on, my boy! Stop crying. You are young so you couldn’t have known the problems adults were going through. Remember, parents always love their children a lot and want to give them the best there is in this world, and if they are unable to do so, it is because of some valid reason.

You must have complete trust in your father just like Prophet Ismail had in his father Ibrahim. We have such a wonderful example of the perfect father-son relationship for us to follow. So let this Eidul Azha be a time for you to learn the message of the great sacrifice. Be a son who supports his father in all his trials and times.”

“Yes, grandpa! I promise to remember the real essence of this occasion and all that you have said to me,” saying this, Asif rushed off to find his father and make up for his rudeness.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 10th, 2016