Alḥamdulillāh, the blessed Hajj season and ‘Īd al-Aḍḥa are quickly approaching. Remember the story of Prophet Ibrahim ? His willingness to sacrifice something so dear to him—his son—for Allāh is a great example all of us:

Even though he loved his son more than anything in the world, Prophet Ibrahim knew he must obey the command of Allāh—and his righteous son agreed. So the father and son resolved to carry out Allāh’s will. But, Allāh, the Most-Merciful, seeing their willingness, replaced Ismail with a ram, which was sacrificed instead.

The Udhiyah/Qurbani season provides us with the opportunity to follow Prophet Ibrahim’s example …
… to show our willingness to give … 

Give Udhiyah/Qurbani to those in need!

But what is Udhiyah/Qurbani all about? Well, the word Qurbani is an Urdu and Farsi word derived from the Arabic Qurban, which means an act performed to seek Allāh’s pleasure. It and Udhiyah are used in reference to the sacrifice of an an’aam animal (camel, cattle, sheep, goat), made in the name of Allāh, to serve as charity. And in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s story, Muslims sacrifice an animal at the end of Hajj season, on ‘Īd al-Aḍḥa, and share the meat with the needy.

Islamic Relief’s annual Udhiyah/Qurbani program can help you fulfill that tradition and bring joy to those who receive a share of the meat. In fact, for many impoverished families, Udhiyah/Qurbani gifts from IRUSA donors like you provide the only meat they get all year long. (Here’s more information.)

And, beyond that, giving charity like this inshā’Allāh increases your hasanat (good deeds) with Allāh:

“… It is neither the meat nor the blood [of the sacrificed animal] that reaches Allāh (swt), but the piety from you that reaches Him.” [The Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Haj, 37).

So, please, remember the importance of this season and of your Udhiyah/Qurbani donation.
Show you care by giving your share.

Here is how you can give through IRUSA in 2013:

JAZAKUM Allāh KHAIRAN. THANK YOU.

PLEASE NOTE: An * indicates that the Udhiyah/Qurbani in that country will be delivered as a canned item. An ** indicates that the Udhiyah/Qurbani in that country will be delivered as a frozen item. Also, a portion of all Udhiyah/Qurbani purchases for Jordan and Lebanon will go to help Syrian refugees in need. Finally, in rare cases where donations exceed what is needed or where local conditions prevent program implementation, Islamic Relief will redirect the funds to help provide Udhiyah/Qurbani meat in another location(s) as needed.