There’s a special time that comes just once a year for many families. These families live in small villages, where they eat only from what’s available locally. Often, that’s a vegetarian-friendly diet. But in Dhul-Hijjah, that changes. They can eat meat. And they can enjoy the benefits of qurbani (also called udhiyah).
These families are in poverty or on the brink of it. They can’t afford to eat meat for most of the year. But when Hajj time comes, people from around the world send their qurbani (udhiyah) shares to shepherds and herders who lovingly raise sheep and cows year-round. The shepherds and herders, many of them from the same villages as the families, raise their livestock with care, and they use their excess dairy to feed the families and sell to the local market.
And in Dhul-Hijjah — when it’s time to commemorate the sacrifice Prophet Ibrahim and his first son, Prophet Ismail, were prepared to make in obedience to God — the shepherds and herders carefully sacrifice from their livestock in God’s name. And from that sacrifice, they take their share, give a share to close family and friends, and give a share to the needy near them.
From this fresh, never frozen meat, the families get nourishment unlike what they get the rest of the year. That’s how qurbani (udhiyah) helps people. It feeds them. It nourishes them. It revitalizes them with a special physical feeling around Hajj time that supplements the special spiritual feeling in a time where they feel a special closeness with God.
And that’s the whole point of qurbani, drawn from the term qurban. Its act is with a specific intention of drawing oneself nearer to God through worship. It’s where the Persianate word qurbani is derived. It is now also common among English-speaking Muslims, denoting the udhiyah sacrifice. So, in this sense, udhiyah and qurbani are interchangeable synonyms.
Your qurbani (udhiyah) feeds hunger-stricken families worldwide. We promise healthy animals, slaughtered in a hygienic environment by local butchers, at the best rates. You can also ensure these families enjoy the luxury of meat year-round by supporting our livestock program. Your extra donation will provide long-term help by giving two mating animals to needy families and ensure financial independence.
