Eid al-Adha is celebrated around the Muslim world on the 10th day of the twelfth month of  ‘DhuI-Hijjah, after the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The Muslim Association of Canada announced that in 2023 the Eid will be observed on Wednesday, June 18. The Canadian Ismaili Muslim community will also celebrate the Eid on the same day. It is customary, especially in Muslim countries, to celebrate the Eid for 3 to 4 days, after its first observance when special Eid Namaz (prayers) are offered.

In an earlier post we informed our readers of the new Eid stamp that Canada Post issued on April 3, 2023, in advance of the celebration of both Eid al-Fitr as well as Eid al-Adha (see featured image at top of this post). The stamp is only available as part of a beautiful booklet of six stamps and can be ordered on-line. The following is a brief presentation about the significance of the two Eid festivals and the image of the historic artistic bowl that is featured on the stamp.

We convey our heartiest felicitations to all our readers and friends on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Adha and wish everyone Eid Mubarak. We offer our prayers for the fulfilment of all your wishes, for good health as well as for barakah (happiness) and success in your endeavours. We also pray for the eternal rest of all the deceased souls.

To mark the auspicious day, we present a thoughtful poem by Farah Tejani as well as a lighthearted story that she has written for children.

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POEM

The Great Sacrifice

By FARAH TEJANI, B.A. and M.F.A.

Omnipotent and Merciful is He,
Allah knows what is best,
At certain times He chooses
To put us through certain tests

He observes our response
To His Rightful Command,
And on this He Judges,
Just exactly where we stand.

It is not meant to be easy,
What would be the purpose,
So we are challenged in truth,
Our response to Him defines us.

Reflect and recall a time when,
We chose not to obey His Laws,
He being of course, All-Forgiving,
No doubt, forgave us our flaws.

But what is to be said,
Of Hazrat Ibrahim, The One,
On the day he was commanded,
To take the life of his own son!

Put yourself in his place,
Could you do the same,
Take the life of who you hold most dear,
The ultimate sacrifice in Allah’s name.

Eid al-Adha celebrates Ibrahim’s loyalty,
To The Great and Loving Wise One,
Though surely riddled with fear and pain,
He placed Ismail, his most precious son,

In front of him, and said a prayer,
In the Name of Allah, Lord of All Things,
He swang the knife and opened his eyes,
And “Oh, But what Mercy God Brings.”

In the place of his very own son’s head
A miraculous goat’s head had fallen,
Allah rewarded Ibrahim’s obedience,
Without even a moment of stalling.

Try to imagine the emotions he went through,
Ibrahim was elated and held Ismail near,
Most Merciful is Our Most Gracious Creator,
Humbled by Allah’s Grace he held back a tear.

Abraham would we if we could,
Be as loyal as you are to Allah’s Laws,
You stand as a testimony of Great Faith,
Without even a moment to pause.

Let it be our endeavour, to faithfully honor,
The Words from Above they are in our best interest,
Take a moment to reflect this Eid al-Adha,
And we, too, will surely be at our best.

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A STORY FOR CHILDREN

Oh, I Would Love To…But I Am Just So Totally ZOSTED!

By FARAH TEJANI, B.A. and M.F.A.

The sun was setting in Gifford Park and the air was still crisp; it was the birth of Spring. Tulips, Daisies, African violets, Daffodils and other beautiful flowers would wake from a Winter’s slumber, just like bears coming out of hibernation. The day was done, but for Siegfred squirrel, the day was just beginning. Siegfred excitedly waited every evening around this time for his Dad to come back from work at the Big Al’s Nut Factory.

Now, you have to understand, Siegfred was not your average run of the mill SQUIRREL. Yes, he loved to hunt and gather nuts and seeds like all the other squirrels, and then have competitions on who gathered the most in number, as well as the most in variety. 

But Siegfred’s other true passion was fashion.  And every single day meant a new chance to wear one of his own individual styles and creations. 

On any given day, Seigfred would wear anything from cut off faded blue jean overalls with different colour and pattern bandanas tied in a knot to the side, with high cut sneakers with red laces loosely tied so he could just slip them on; to hawaiian short sleeve silk shirts with flowers, palm trees, and “Hang Loose” written on the back with dark black denim boot cut Levi’s, and shiny leather beatles boots and his hair either toselled in soft curls or held up in a no nonsense hair sprayed “mohawk.”

Today, Mom was preparing her famous specialty: Acorn and  walnut salad with assorted green vegetation, topped with dressing made from conifer cones and finally sprinkled with pumpkin and sesame seeds.  

Even though this was one of his favourite meals; Sig wanted to wait for his dad. Filled with excitement Siegfred went outside and climbed up the tree so he could see. And then, there he was; Dad’s big smiling face came around the corner, with his work bag slung over his shoulder.

“Here we go!” Sig squealed with joy, “Daddy!” Sig could not help but run to his Dad, while his Dad would also be running towards him. Same thing every day except Saturday and Sunday when he would have the day off; just like all the other Squirrels that were employed at Big Al’s Nut Factory.

Today was Friday, and this was what the whole family would wait for and enjoy. When Sig reached his Dad, his Dad would pick him up and spin him around and give him a big hug saying, “I sure missed you, Siggy.” That’s what he called Siegfred with so much love in his heart;  And Sig would say, “Not as much as I missed YOU, Dad!!!” And then he would put Sig down and they would hold hands and walk towards their tree house.

And it was the same every evening. It was their father and son ritual. Siggy always knew he would NEVER EVER get tired of it.

“Come on , son”,  he ruffled Sig’s stylish Mohawk. “Let’s go and see what Mom’s up to. Whatever it is, it sure smells good!” “Well, it always does now, doesn’t it ?” Siggy said.

After dinner, both Siggy and his dad rubbed their tummies…

“That was delicious, Mom!” Siggy said.”
Absolutely!,” said his father. “Thank you, Mom.”

After the food was put away, Siggy’s dad made his way to the big hammock they all shared and closed his eyes.

“No, Dad!,” Siggy said, “Wake up! Wake up!” Sigfreid climbed on top of his dad. “We always play cloud spotters!”

Cloud spotters was a game where you lie back on the grass and look up into the sky and see if you can find shapes of things in the clouds.

Siggy’s Dad opened his eyes very slowly, “Aw, Sig, I’d love to, but I am just so totally exhausted, let me just rest for a while.” 

His eyes began to close again. “I promise I’ll read you your favorite bedtime story, okay?”

“I guess so…” Siggy was disheartened. 

He went right up to his mom who was knitting him a scarf for the winter and asked, “Hey, Mom, what is “Zosted?”

“ZOSTED?!?” she furrowed her brows and scratched her head and repeated, “ZOSTED?”

“I really don’t have any idea, Sig,” she asked him bluntly, “Where on earth did you hear that?”

“Dad.” Siggy stated matter of factly. “When I asked Dad to come outside and play with me, he said, ‘he’d love to but he was so totally ZOSTED!'”

Mom let out a little giggle, ” Oh, EXHAUSTED!”

Siggy said abruptly, “Yeah, whatever! What does it mean?”

He was just letting you know that he was exhausted, meaning too tired, or worn out.

“Oh.” Siggy repeated to himself, “ZOSTED”

“Hey, Mom, can I go out and play?”

“Sure, but be careful and make sure you are home by seven.” 

“Okay.” He said and he was out the door. Sig smiled to himself, he just got a great idea. Siggy was going to try out his new word with his buddies.

He was headed to Beatrice Bunny’s Mound. But before even getting close, he messed up his hair some more, rolled down one of his socks and let his eyes get droopy and heavy.

He walked slowly making sure to look tired and all tuckered out. Beatrice’s ears perked up and formed two coils facing straight up beside one another. This is what Beatrice Bunny did when she was curious or worried.  And as Sig got closer, this is exactly what they did.

Sig made his eyes even heavier and slouched his back and walked even slower, almost falling over.

Beatrice Bunny squealed, “What is going on, Sig? Are you okay?”

Sig acted like he never even heard her, his eyes just barely open now.

Beatrice Bunnie’s ears dropped down at either side of her head now. 

“Sig!” Nothing. “SIG!” she walked up to her dear friend and shook him gently, at which point Sig opened his just a tiny bit more. 

“Yeah.” he mumbled, while still shuffling ever so slowly in no apparent direction.

“Hey, Seigfred, What on earth is going on? Are you okay?” Beatrice Bunny was genuinely concerned. “Talk to me!”

Sigfried took this as the perfect opportunity to use his new word and impress her with his ever-growing vocabulary.

He circled around and with heavy eyes, said, “Oh, I’d really love to, Beatrice Bunny but I am just so totally ZOSTED.” And with that he continued with his back hunched over and still shuffling.

Beatrice Bunny had never seen him like this before. “ZOSTED?!?” She repeated the word and called out to him, “ZOSTED?!?” I wonder what he means by that?

But Siegfred was already shuffling up the grass towards Ozzy Owl’s tree. And this time he was going to really lay it on thick.

Ozzy’s keen eyes spotted him right away, shuffling in small steps with his eyes barely open. 

“What on Earth could you be up to now, Sig?!?”

Siegfried came almost to a full stop and then just flopped on the ground, and bent over. Now he was going to really try out his new word on Ozzy. 

“Sigfried,” he called out loudly, “Snap out of it! Are you okay, was it something you ate? Tell me?”

At which point, Sig rolled over onto his back and began to snore softly.

“You have got to be kidding!” Ozzy flew down beside his friend and helped Sig get up. “Shake it off, little  buddy! Just tell me how you got like this?”

And here was Sigfried’s chance to use the new word he learned from his father.

He opened his eyes a very tiny bit, and answered Ozzy, “Oh, I’d really love to, but I am so totally ZOSTED!”

“Zosted?” Ozzy repeated. And by then Beatrice made her way to them. 

“Yeah,” she said to Ozzy, “That’s exactly what he told me!” Beatrice Bunnie’s ears formed a t.v. antenna on her head. This is what she did when she was looking for answers. She knew Ozzy Owl would solve this problem.

“Exhausted,” Ozzy smiled and with his wings fanned air onto Sig’s face. “The word is EXHAUSTED, Sig! Not ZOSTED! And how did you get so exhausted anyway?”

Sigfried was so excited to show off his new word and he blushed with embarrassment that it did not turn out as he had planned.

Ozzy Owl winked at Beatrice Bunny, “Well now, Beatrice, it looks like we will have to go to movie night without him…there’s just no way he will be able to make it, just look at him.”

Siegfred Squirrel had forgotten: “Wild Kingdom,” he had been waiting for a month for it to come out. 

“Movie night?” he whispered, As his eyes began to open, one first and then the other. 

“Wow! Look at that, guys! I am not ZOSTED after all!,”

Ozzy cleared his throat and fluttered his black, white, and golden wings and looked right into Siggy’s eyes with that piercing stare all owls have.

“Oh yeah,” Siggy kicked at the ground beneath his feet. And with a sheepish grin said, “I mean exhausted, anymore!…let’s go!”

Beatrice Bunny started hopping on the trail to the theatres, “I’ll pay for the tickets!” Her ears flopping up and down with excitement.

Ozzy confirmed, “Well there is no way I am paying for the popcorn! We all know it’s Sig’s turn. “Ain’t that right, Sigfried?”

“You got it! I can’t wait! It was so hard for me to keep that whole ZOSTED thing going!!!” He said, “I was so excited that I would be using a new word that no one knew.”

“Well, Siggy,” Ozzy Owl chimed in, “You’ve got to get up pretty early in the morning to pull a fast one on this owl! I eat dictionaries for BREAKFAST!”

And with that final note, the three friends made their way to the movies…neither one of them ZOSTED in the least bit, now!!!!

Date posted: June 27, 2023.

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Farah Tejani is a creative writer based in Vancouver. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English Literature and her Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia in May of 1997 and earned top Honors for her Thesis on Short Fiction. Farah then went on to publish a collection of short stories published by Trafford, called, “Make Your Own Chai, Mama’s Boy!” — ten short stories dealing with different dilemmas South Asians face. Farah also wrote and co-directed her stage play, “Safeway Samosas,” which won “The Best of Brave New Playwrights Award” in July 1995. Her short story, “Too Hot” won third place in the “Canada-Wide Best Short Fiction Award” and was read at The Vancouver Writers Festival. She has been contributing poems and stories for Simerg and its sister website Barakah since 2020. We invite our readers to read some of Farah’s poems by clicking on Elastic Embrace; The Fragrance of Spring, “In Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Eyes” and her story Mr. Sneaky Peeky and the Two Red-Tailed Monkeys.

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