The days leading up to the big feast, Eid Al Adha, are some of the most exciting and hectic here in Morocco as sheep are purchased and transported home in time for the big sacrifice.  (For those unfamiliar with the Muslim holiday, Eid Al Ahda is a religious observance honouring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son before God intervened and a sheep was sacrificed instead.)

From the top of a friend’s rooftop terrace, I enjoyed watching the children play with the sheep, for one last day.  Feeding them straw, peering over to neighbouring terraces, and enjoying a new toy.  That would soon be tomorrow’s lunch.

But as the sunset over Moulay Idriss and the call to prayer rang through the holy city marking the start of the holiest time of the Muslim year, a certain calm took over.  Even the sheep seemed to stop bleating.  If only for a short while.  Before keeping us up all night.

And the beautiful prayer heard throughout the medina this morning brought a certain serenity to the already peaceful city.

Now there are just a few sheep remaining.  The grills are being prepared.  (I even watched one older brother chase his little brother with the sheep’s head around the terrace.  Something I can totally imagine my older sisters doing to me if we were children here in Morocco.)

Eid Mubarak Said to those celebrating.