Syed Hassan, Islamic Relief USA
It’s not often you think of a joyous and religious occasion as also a time to improve one’s nutritional intake. Yet, that’s exactly what Qurbani helps to accomplish for millions of people around the world.
Qurbani, or Udhiyah, commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail. Ibrahim was prepared to carry out the command as a testament to his strong faith. However, Allah intervened, providing a ram to sacrifice instead.
This act is remembered during Eid al-Adha, which falls on the 10th day of the Islamic holy month of Dhul-Hijjah. On that day, Muslims worldwide perform Qurbani by sacrificing an animal. The meat is distributed among family, friends, and those in need. This act serves as an effective way to address food insecurity
It is a time during which families around the world enjoy a nutritious meat dish, celebrating Eid Al-Adha the way it was intended.
Islamic relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, has been providing Qurbani programs for several years now.
On the domestic side, Islamic Relief USA is working with 55 community-based organizations to procure 100,000 pounds of fresh, high-quality halal meat. The meat, which comes from either cows or lambs, will help provide sustenance to thousands of people. With the community-based partners, Islamic Relief USA has either provided a grant to the organization to help them run food distributions as they see fit, or through a direct service model where IRUSA works directly with the organization in distributing the meat. IRUSA is dedicating more than $700,000 toward the program.
IRUSA’s international Qurbani program is even more extensive. The organization’s $6 million campaign is working in 41 countries. While in past years it was able to provide bags of fresh meat–and will still try to in some countries– it will be providing canned meat in countries like Palestine, with the help of our partner, Anera, among others. That’s because of the logistical difficulties that have arisen from the months-long escalation taking place in Gaza, Rafah, and other locations.
Meat prices have risen considerably in the past few years, at a faster clip than even the much discussed inflation rate, which in 2022 had risen at the highest pace in 40 years.
Halal meat, generally speaking, tends to be more expensive. In 2021, a year after the pandemic started, one shopper who relies on food benefit cards and a local pantry to meet nutritional needs, told NBC News the price for a pound of lamb in her area had doubled from $6 to $12. In Dallas, a halal grocery store manager said the price per pound of lamb increased 20% from $6.99 to $8.49.
The halal food market, particularly meat, has grown immensely over the years. By 2027, it is expected to grow by $427 billion. It has attracted immense mainstream appeal, especially among non-Muslim populations, as halal meat is generally considered cleaner and healthier.
A 2022 Global Newswire article about the increased interest in halal meat stated, “in recent years, this progression has been driven up by Muslim-majority countries, but also by multicultural populations of Southeast Asia and the Muslim migrations of Europe and North America.” Non-Muslim countries like Germany and Australia have seen an uptick.
But while the interest in halal meat has been great to see, it doesn’t necessarily make it all the more affordable for much of the U.S. Muslim population, which generally relies on consumption of halal meat for their religious obligations. Contrary to the popular perception that American Muslims are in high-paying professional careers – medicine, information technology, engineering, finance – a poll by The Institute for Social and Policy Understanding found at 40 percent of the 3.4 million Muslims in the United States earned incomes at or below the federal poverty level.
Because of lower incomes, these populations are likely to suffer from food insecurity. Thankfully, the Qurbani program at Islamic Relief USA and at other organizations offering similar services and programs can help to fill this need. Let’s make sure our brothers and sisters of all faiths can partake in the upcoming season with nutritious meaty meals.
