I was young when my classmates who were Muslims would bring food, drinks and meat and I'd refuse to join them to eat, if they asked.

I had been told: Those foods are sacrificed to idols and as Christians, we must not eat such.

Boiled rams with Yoruba jollof rice will simply get thrashed into the bin when they brought it to my room in China bowls and fancy plates.

What an oral suffering!

Sometimes, I just thought it was heinous wastage to pour gifts of food into the bin rather than have the courage to say "the food is idolatrous and spiritually contaminated" and refuse them in the name of the Lord.

And for years, I lived perplexed by the single question: How does one politely and inoffensively refuse Salah meat and yet encourage them to dine at our table during Easter or Christmas in upright conscience?

Then history came knocking and brought facts that show Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Kabir to commemorate the Abraham's submission to God in sacrificing Ismail.

The account is debatable among religions but that not the interesting part. At least, we can't by that rung of fact correctly say the meats were meant for idols, like the ones on street corners for gods of protection.

Paul's letters in biblical scripture did ask us not bicker about what we eat or drink.

Colossians 2

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

1 Corinthians 8 sinks the argument of eating or not eating Salah meat permanently.

Look here:

4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. note

7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

The summary is simple

1. Eating, like food is NOT SPIRITUAL(forget all those movies you've been watching)

2. Take that bowl of rice and ram legs and eat.

3. Only refrain if there are folks around you who are slow to embrace this joyous liberty to eat from your Muslim friends. Truth is, I don't have those friends around me anymore. But if I do, I'll teach them to cast their reluctance away. There is no logical/spiritual reason to still have it.

It's some hours to the end of the holiday. A muslim neighbor might just pop in with some pepper soup diced with ram thighs and ribs.

Don't pinch yourself. Eat. Thank them. And have a good night thanking God for a full belly.

Yours lovingly,