By Tayeba Hussain

Why Doing Qurbani Overseas Is Important

blog 6 28 21 overseas udhiyah

Eid al-Adha, referred to as the “big Eid,” honors Prophet Abraham’s devotion to his Lord for his readiness to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Allah (SWT) acknowledged this devotion and replaced Ismail with an animal, which was sacrificed instead of his son. This was seen as a test of Prophet Abraham’s ongoing devotion and love for Allah SWT with no questions asked. This is known as Udhiyah (also known as Udhiya or Qurbani).

Zakat Foundation of America representative delivering fresh qurbani meat in Syria. | Zakat Foundation of America
Zakat Foundation of America representative delivering fresh qurbani meat in Syria. | Zakat Foundation of America

Eid al-Adha translates to “festival of sacrifice.” As Muslims start to think about where they want to donate their Udhiyah (Udhiya or Qurbani), it’s important to think about countries such as Palestine (especially Gaza), Yemen, and Syria, where displaced and vulnerable people are dying of malnutrition.

Some have never even had the privilege to eat meat because they simply cannot afford it or don’t have access to it. Nevertheless these countries have the means when it comes to livestock, but they don't have the finances. That is why they need our help.

In the United States alone, the average American consumes 273 lbs. of meat annually. The richer the country is, the more meat is being consumed in that country. In Yemen, on the other hand, over 80% of the population is food insecure. In Bangladesh, a person can only eat 6 pounds of meat each year because of its scarcity. Millions are also suffering from malnutrition simply because they don’t have enough to eat.

A mom, making dinner for her kids with generous qurbani meat that was donated. | Zakat Foundation of America
A mom, making dinner for her kids with generous qurbani meat that was donated. | Zakat Foundation of America

Donating locally is important, but so is helping those far away. We don't replace support here with work in overseas countries. We take pride in doing both. Zakat Foundation of America has over two decades of experience, delivering Udhiyah/Qurbani meat in more than 40 countries. Zakat Foundation of America works with locals in each region who treat their livestock humanely to make sure they can feed people high-quality, fresh meat. Nothing processed, frozen, or preserved. Many of the recipients of this meat sadly only get to consume it once a year, which is during Eid al-Adha.

Bring someone a bit of joy on Eid al-Adha this year, and make your spiritual sacrifice count. Donate today.

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