Happy Tobaski

The feast of Tobaski is a big affair, slaughtering the obligatory ram and sharing the mutton with friends, relatives and well-wishers.

Some save, some borrow in order to get at least a ram; while those who are well-off buy more than a ram for the sacrifice, which they share with their neighbours and friends.

For the past two weeks, all of Serekunda has been teeming with shepherds taking their flock around town in search of prospective buyers.

Indeed, the day is meant for sharing and caring with each other, and the rich should assist the needy during this period.

Whilst the occasion is a joyous one where people should celebrate happily with their families, some family heads find it very difficult as wives and the young ones demand new clothes, which is not within the reach of the father or mother.

During this period some family heads always find it very difficult to cope with certain members of their family, who will want them to provide things that are even beyond their earnings.

People will want to spend all the monies they have for the day and, most of the time, shortly after the festival, some find it hard even to provide fish money. So, it is not advisable to spend all the family income at the same time.

However, people should know that immediately after the feast, schools are expected to re-open, and they need to pay the school fees for their children. So you are advised to spend wisely.

And “We made him (Abraham) pure in this world and in the hereafter; he is most surely among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, ‘Submit,’ he said, ‘I submit myself to the Lord of the Worlds.”

(Qur’an 2:130-131)