On 4th December 2015, The World Federation joined other shia organisations under the banner ZAINABIYYA ALLIANCE FOR REFUGEES to lead a second trip to Greece to assist refugees arriving on Europe’s shores. The following is a daily report from a volunteer of our team’s work in Lesvos, Greece.
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07 October 2026 / 24. Rabi-Uth-Thani 1448
Qurbani - Sacrifice in the Way of Prophet Ibrahim (as)
‘Therefore offer prayer for your Lord, and do the sacrifice.’ (Quran 108:2). ‘Qurbani’ is Arabic for ‘sacrifice’ of an animal (usually a cow, sheep or goat) in the way of Islam whose meat is then distributed among the deserving for consumption. This sacrifice takes place during Eid al-Hajj. This tradition has origins in the time of Prophet Ibrahim, where it symbolizes the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail in the way of Allah.
‘But why is Qurbani performed?’ one might ask. The answer lies in two very valuable benefits associated with this act. One being the humanitarian benefit of helping the poor and the needy. The other reason relates to the idea of spiritual closeness and submission to Allah (swt). Sacrificing an animal in this way signifies letting go of things for the benefit others in submission to Allah (swt) in order to get closer to Him. As the Holy Quran says:
‘It is not their flesh or their blood that reaches God. Rather, it is your God-wariness that reaches Him…’
(Holy Qur’an 22:37)
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One can also enhance their spiritual journey prior to this. The World Federation of KSIMC is currently providing a wealth of resources that can help you along your spiritual journey of Hajj, including 4GB MP3 player pre-loaded with various Hajj related MP3’s. To find out more: Click Here |
The World Federation of KSIMC is running a Qurbani Appeal 2014 campaign and is now taking orders. For more information: Click Here |
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As of October 2015, over 705,000 refugees have fled to Europe on unseaworthy boats and dinghies across the Mediterranean Sea. More than 3,200 refugees have died or are missing. In response to this emergency, The World Federation and the Council of European Jamaats (CoEJ) partnered to provide humanitarian aid to the thousands of refugees arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos.
