The
Spirit of Sacrifice
... By Sharjeel Ahmad, Ex-Chief
Editor, BaKhabar <sharjeel.ahmad@gmail.com>
Eid-ul-Adha concluded
recently. Eid-ul-Adha has always been a period [not just a day] of
rejoice and enjoyment for us since our childhood days. This Eid-ul-Adha
was a specific instance for retrospection on various aspects of the
occasion. I remember my school days when we used to live in Gaya. After
waiting for months we got to feel the essence of Eid-ul-Adha
approaching, when we got to see numerous vendors of male goats [khassi]
daunting down the road in front of our house. We eyed each male goat
with ravenousness, imagining how the animal might finally end up at our
home and how we would have a festive time! We were not very lucky to
have an animal ending up at our home frequently, though. However, when
one did eventually end up, it was seen as a massive opportunity and
challenge for us children to ensure that we fed and cared for our
khassi with all the zest and fervency. Eid-ul-Adha was a special
occasion for us for one more reason; a time of reunion with our cousins
who stayed at distant locations. Those were few of the golden days of
my life as a child.
We generally had two khassis ending up for Eid-ul-Adha in our home each
year, and we were four siblings [I, my sister, and two female cousins
from Ranchi] who would normally share the ownership for the upkeep of
these khassis. I was the only male child in our group of four siblings
and enjoyed a special position in the group, when sometimes my rival
sibling group had to take my favors during occasions that required male
forte. One specific incident that I remember was when one of the
khassis belonging to our rival sibling group was shrewd enough to chew
off its rope; and once free, set on a rampage across the house. Being
the only male child in the group, I took it upon myself as a daunting
responsibility to seize the khassi and ensure that it was tied
properly. My efforts towards the same resulted in a full 15 minute
chase of the khassi, hacking and panting breathlessness for the rest 5
minutes or so, and a severely bruised knee. Now, that bruise was more a
result of my own muddle, when I tried to triumphantly mount myself over
the back of the khassi after getting it back in control, and the khassi
actually not understanding what had happened, then pulling me off its
back and dragging me with itself around the house for another 5
minutes. The scar of this triumph is still visible on my knee, even 20
years later – and the best part is that I denote this trophy as a mark
of my identification in official documents like my passport!!
The another resounding and interesting piece of memory rests with our
trips to the grand Tehta Animal Fair at a small village called Tehta
[not very far from Gaya] every year to buy the khassis when procuring
them in reasonable prices became difficult in the town. When these
trips resonate in my remembrance, I relish numerous episodes tied to
the trips with pleasure and delight – the smell of the railway station
at Gaya, the PG line trains and their honking, the Tehta animal market
and the smell of the khassis, the cogent knowledge sharing sessions
about the importance of Eid-ul-Adha and the technical details of caring
for khassis with my dear uncle Khurram Mama… Then, the ever-lasting
experience of Qurbani when I sacrificed a khassi myself for the first
time.
Living in the
metros for quite some years had kind of faded out these memories, with
little or no facility to either purchase animals or offer Qurbani
within the cobweb of city life. However, I got a chance to relive those
moments this year in Pune, when I saw two khassis tied in my neighbor’s
parking space. I enquired from Haroon Chacha [the security guard at our
apartment] about the same and he said it is fine to keep the animals in
the parking space, but I would need to arrange for the Qurbani at some
other place – since it is a mixed society and not all people would
appreciate this. I enquired with my friends here and there and we were
eventually able to identify one society close by where we could arrange
for Qurbani. What next, I found myself in the khassi market at Kauser
Bagh next!! With almost 10 days to go for Eid-ul-Adha, my wife warily
suggested not to hurry and get a khassi so soon, since it would involve
a lot of hassles and problems. I was convinced otherwise and somehow
convinced her that it would be fine. So, we finally ended up with a tan
and black spotted khassi at our balcony [our parking space is open,
therefore, it was not wise to tie the animal there – with no shade from
the sun during the day time]!! Now, I had this ardent responsibility of
caring for our khassi as soon as I came home after office every day,
for the next 10 days. It was a tremendously rejuvenating experience
altogether, to relive those golden days when you owned a khassi and
shared the responsibility of caring for it, as we had done for so many
years while at school, stroking it, feeding it by my own hands, feeling
for every unwanted movement that it made… Then, something unpleasant
happened.
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On the fifth
day, my wife called up
when I was in office to convey that our khassi has not been eating
anything since morning. It was troublesome news indeed. I do not have
the bliss of having kids till now, but the anguish and grief that I
experienced on hearing this would probably be no less than hearing that
your own kid is sick. I was also greatly troubled with the fact that if
the khassi has taken ill, it would be difficult for me to convince my
management and take a day off on this account, for obvious reasons! The
entire family lived with this agony and pain till I returned back from
office. My mother called up Khurram Mama [he was the first person that
came to our mind when thinking of khassi well-being!!] to get some tips
on the same; I did the same when I returned from office. I also got
some new fodder for the khassi thinking that it might start feed itself
if it was because of taste buds. The khassi remained unmoved, it did
not even bleat during this entire period, which was very disturbing. I
felt as if we have done something seriously wrong and it has resulted
in this. Perhaps my wife was right in saying that it was too early to
get a khassi – if only I had listened to her and waited for a few more
days. The next moment, a strong determination swept my thoughts. No,
everything will be fine insha Allah; we have purchased the khassi with
pure intensions; therefore, Allah will definitely take us out of this –
perhaps it’s just another of His ways of testing us – I reminded myself.
This trend
continued for another
two days. Our khassi had not eaten anything for more than 48 hours.
Then finally, the husband of our maid came to our rescue and treated
our khassi with tamarind and oil etc. That night, the khassi did not
eat anything yet again, nor did it bleat, but we could see some clear
signs of recovery! I slept a peace less and agitated sleep that night.
I told my wife that if it did not recover, I will try to come home
early and take it to a veterinarian. The next day passed off amidst the
same agony and pain, and I somehow set off from office early – it was a
Friday, so I had the entire weekend to take care of the khassi now. On
my way back, something suddenly struck my mind and I stopped over in
front of a leaf stall to purchase a bunch of new leaves for the khassi;
although I was doubtful if it would eat – since it had not eaten for
more than 56 hours now. Once back home, I straightaway rushed off to
the balcony with the bunch of leaves. The first gaze on the khassi told
me that there was a huge difference in its health now – the sparkle in
its eyes was back!! I stretched the bunch of leaves towards it – and IT
MUNCHED THE LEAVES WITH PASSION!!! “Allah is Great!!” were the only
words that I could say then… It was as if seeing my own child eating
gleefully after a relay hunger strike.
The sound of leaves churning
in the mouth of the khassi was such an unrivaled, great, satiating and
soothing sound to hear after all these days!! I would probably remember
the experience of that pleasant sound for quite some years indeed.
After a few hours, my wife came running to me with joy, “Our khassi is
bleating!!” We all thanked Allah Almighty that things were now back to
normal. These 10 days were rewarding to the full, since Allah Almighty
had given us an unparalleled opportunity to feel the essence of the
real sacrifice embellished in Eid-ul-Adha; and we thanked Him by
fasting for a day on the 9th of Dhil-hijjah. It was an opportunity no
doubt to feel the closeness and emotional inclination towards the
animal one is about to sacrifice. I had offered sacrifice through my
own hands many times earlier; however, this one was different. This
experience effectively involved the pain and excruciation that is the
characteristic of sacrificing something dear in the name of Allah – the
very spirit of Eid-ul-Adha. My heart did not pulsate so much when I had
offered the sacrifice for the first time – it pulsated much more this
time – but with every reverberating emotional heartbeat, I reminded
myself that this is for the sake of seeking the pleasure of my Lord
Almighty, and that this is the real spirit of the sacrifice of
Eid-ul-Adha, and that we have been fortunate enough to have been
blessed with this opportunity by Allah Almighty Himself. It was only a
khassi for us, and if this experience is so excruciating, how great
indeed Prophet Ibrahim Alaihissalam must have been to willingly submit
to Allah for sacrificing someone as dear as his own son, and the
opportunity of relishing the triumph of Allah’s trial and
dependability. May Allah Almighty grant us all the opportunity to live
with this spirit always, Ameen!! .
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