December 20, 2007

Asad was 11 years old and a sixth grade student. He was considered a talented and brilliant student of the class. He had just one shortcoming which had been disturbing and alarming him and his family since he was six. At the tender age of six, he was severely attacked by a black weighty, long horn goat that injured his knees and chest and that incident struck fear in him. Usually he behaved normally unless encountered with any goat. He would react like an abnormal child when he saw a goat around him. He would run from the place where he would find a goat. Realising the condition of their child, his family stopped sacrificing any animal on the occasion of Eidul Azha. One day his father took him to a child psychiatrist who asked his father to erase the child’s fear for his better development. They decided to develop in him love for the animal instead of fright.

One day Asad was sitting alone in the garden waiting to see his three friends to come and play with him. His friends came but instead of playing with him, they took him to a nearby shop to buy some recently arrived items. When his friends were busy shopping, Asad noticed a goat standing near him. He immediately left the shop and ran towards his house. When he reached his house, his father inquired about the matter very softly putting comforting hand on his shoulder. Asad sighed deeply, swiftly embraced his father and asked him to save him from the cruel animal. His father consoled him and convinced him that nobody was going to hurt him.

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He was misplaced by an incident and reached a place where he found no human being except tranquil of night. He could see nothing behind him as the darkness was breathtaking. He was moving very cautiously. Out of the blue, some identified voices alerted him from head to toe. He stopped moving further. His body was continuously perspiring. Before he could make himself stand firmly a few goats appeared in flash light. His feet were trembling with fear, he was neither able to shriek nor was able to move.

“Don’t be scared of us… We are very innocent creature of God,” one of the goats said while other goats were reciting Allaho Akber (God is great) in slow voice. Asad was confused as how could he understand their language but he had no courage to speak to them.

“We are made for you, we can sacrifice our lives for you,” all goats declared in harmony and came near him. “God is greatest, fear God and refrain yourself from fearing us…” Asad was extremely influenced by it and got courage to overcome trembling feet. “Never be misled by anyone, love God and His creatures. Be honest to yourself and others, acquire knowledge to explore hidden treasures of this universe and bring peace in the world as you are human being — the most superior creature.”

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Asad opened his eyes in the morning and quickly jumped out of bed to tell his dream to his parents. After hearing his dream, they took him to the garden where his father had chained a goat to be sacrificed on Eid day and also to follow the instructions of the psychiatrist. Asad’s heartbeats increased seeing a white and brown goat chewing grass in his garden. First his parents went close to the goat and touched it showing love and affection. Asad saw that goat was showing no rage but was just standing to be looked after.

First he slowly stepped towards the goat and stood at a distance of two feet from it but his parents encouraged him. Gradually Asad overcame his fear and began to love the animal. And then came the Eid day… the day to sacrifice animals in the name of God. But now Asad was not willing to sacrifice his beloved friend, then his father convinced him and said: “My child, we have to sacrifice it anyhow in order to please God. It was due to His kindness that you got rid of that phobia.” Asad understood the message and bravely said: “I will offer to God this sacrifice of thanksgiving.”