Not Just Any Sheep!
This lamb is a survivor! Among the casualties of last month’s flooding were many sheep… they are not good swimmers. Last week, after returning home, we celebrated the biggest Muslim holiday of the year, the Eid al-Adha. It was a subdued celebration; many people had lost homes, businesses, and some had lost friends and family members. Some people had lost the sheep they had been caring for in anticipation of the Eid feast.
The Eid al-Adha commemorates the story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son, in obedience to God’s command (The Muslim story is the same as the one we are familiar with, except that the almost-sacrificed son is Ishmael, rather than Isaac). Traditionally, at the end of Ramadan (which was two and a half months ago) those who can afford it purchase one or two sheep to keep in the yard and fatten up for this big holiday. My neighbor explained to me that part of the reason for buying a sheep in advance is that by keeping it at your house for two months, you become attached to it and you feel like the sheep is a part of your family. Then, when you slit its throat for the Eid feast, you grieve like Abraham did when he was faced with sacrificing his son, so the sacrifice becomes more meaningful. It’s only a sacrifice when it’s something you care about.
Not only do our neighbors fatten their Eid sheep, they treat it with special care and respect. 
You probably can’t tell from this photo, but our neighbor’s large sheep has been washed, has henna designs on its hooves, and is wearing eye makeup carefully applied by the women of the house! The sheep was readied for the party at which he was to be the main course. The lamb in the top photo survived both the flood and the holiday; he was too young to be sacrificed this year. By next year’s holiday he will be old enough for henna and makeup!
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged sheep by Lisa