DONOR REPORT QURBANI 2017 ISLAMIC RELIEF USA WORKING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD. UPDATED: OCTOBER 2017
WHAT IS QURBANI / UDHIYAH? Qurbani / Udhiyah is the tradition of sharing meat with your family and with the poor at the end of the Hajj season, at Eid al-adha. Udhiyah is an Arabic word and Qurbani is an Urdu/Persian word derived from Arabic. They both connote the meaning of sacrifice, or an act done for the pleasure of Allah. The tradition is based on the story of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail (peace be upon them) and the ram that replaced Ismail (PBUH). Prophet Ibrahim dreamed he was sacrificing his beloved son Ismail (peace be upon them). He asked his son what he thought. Young Ismail said, Do as you are commanded. But when they went to do the hardest thing they could imagine doing, Allah replaced Ismail with a ram. They had passed the test they were willing to give up what they loved most. We commemorate their sacrifice with a financial sacrifice ourselves buying an animal or the prepared meat, and sharing it with the poor. QURBANI / UDHIYAH IS MENTIONED IN THE QURAN: Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). (108:2) It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. (22:37) The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave this gift himself. Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madinah for 10 years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid). (Ahmad and Tirmidhi) Al-Baraa ibn Aazib (RA) said the Prophet (PBUH) said: Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims. (Al-Bukhari) IRAQ 1
GIVING QURBANI / UDHIYAH THROUGH IRUSA Islamic Relief USA has distributed Qurbani / Udhiyah meat on behalf of donors for many years. We work with partner offices around the world, who buy and prepare the meat locally and ensure that it goes to people who qualify as truly in need. Staff at Islamic Relief offices around the world work hard right through Eid to deliver your gift even in hard-to-reach areas and conflict zones. Our program uses 100% halal meat. Meat is sourced locally whenever possible, to support the local economy. It is distributed fresh whenever possible, though in difficult situations like conflict zones, we may send frozen meat so it can arrive to the recipients in good condition. All logistics from sacrifice to transportation are handled in accordance with Islamic principles, and with the best hygienic practices possible. When you donate 1 Qurbani, your donation equals one sheep or goat OR 1/7 of a cow, bull or buffalo your donation can provide about 50 pounds (sheep/goat) to 70 pounds (cow/bull/buffalo) of fresh meat, which in turn feeds about 40 to 56 people respectively. If you d like to purchase an entire cow, for instance, you would multiply the price and the number of people served by 7. Beneficiaries selected to receive meat include widows, orphans, the destitute, the elderly, people with disabilities, refugees and disaster-affected populations generally, people who cannot afford to buy meat often and whose diets are lacking in calories and nutrition. Many of the recipients of Udhiyah/Qurbani donations live in remote areas which are typically inaccessible Islamic Relief makes every effort to reach them in order to provide aid to some of the most vulnerable community members. Many of the recipients rarely taste the treat of meat. Some haven t had any since they received this gift last Eid al-adha. Your gift is huge to them. YEMEN 2
MALI CHINA SYRIA
2017 (Projected figures) COUNTRY NUMBER OF QURBANIS TYPE OF ANIMAL BENEFICIARIES Afghanistan 687 Cow 10,302 Albania 72 Cow 1,080 Bangladesh 1,165 Cow 17,469 Bosnia 600 Cow 9,000 Chad 3,571 Sheep 53,571 Chechnya 880 Cow 13,200 China 50 Cow 750 Ethiopia 2,500 Goat 37,500 India 3,065 Buffalo/goat 20,076 Indonesia 67 Cow 999 Iraq 347 Sheep 5,205 Jordan 345 Sheep 5,176 Kenya 2,000 Goat 30,000 Kosovo 300 Cow 4,500 Lebanon 200 Sheep 3,000 Malawi 2,200 Cow 33,000 Mali 2,500 Cow 37,500 Myanmar 3,916 Goat 58,741 Niger 3,000 Cow 45,000 Pakistan 2,178 Cow 32,666 Palestine 2,220 Sheep 11,100 Somalia 3,000 Sheep 45,000 South Africa 250 Cow 3,750 South Sudan 400 Cow 6,000 Sri Lanka 1,810 Cow 27,148 Sudan 1,500 Bull 22,500 Syria 5,773 Sheep 86,592 Uganda 420 Cow 14,400 United States n/a Cow 64,000 Yemen 2,000 Goat 30,000 Zimbabwe 900 Goat 13,500 Total 47,916 742,725 4
AN EID GIFT FOR UMM MUHAMMAD The burden of taking care of her children alone in a war zone is a heavy one every day for Umm Mohammed, but Eid is especially hard. Her husband was killed in an airstrike in Syria, and since then, she has moved her three children from place to place, looking for somewhere safe to stay. Sometimes she works in the olive groves, harvesting olives and watering trees, to get food for the children. The memories of the past are strong, and they contrast sharply with life as it is now. Especially on holidays. When Eid comes, we feel depressed, she said. There are no sweets, gifts, and new clothes. I don t have enough money to get the Eid needs, and we hope to get back to our old home one day so I can get everything for my children. Islamic Relief staff found her near Idlib last year and brought a very special gift from caring people in the United States Eid meat. You have filled my children s hearts with joy and happiness, she said. May Allah bless you and reward you for putting a smile on my children s faces. UMM MUHAMMAD 3
SOUTH AFRICA ETHIOPIA SRI LANKA 5
#10194 P.O. Box 22250, Alexandria, VA 22304 TELEPHONE: 1-855-447-1001 EMAIL: info@irusa.org A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID# 95-4453134)