IRUSA distributes Qurbani meat at MAS-DC Islamic Center

by Syed Hassan

It was Wednesday morning just before 10 a.m.

As I was pulling into the parking lot of MAS-DC Islamic Center off Edsall Road in Alexandria, I saw several people — some middle-aged, some elderly — walking down the sidewalk with their recyclable bags.

They were coming to collect meat and groceries, as part of Islamic Relief USA’s annual Qurbani meat and food distribution campaign that is conducted around the country. You may have heard many times now that the price of groceries has skyrocketed over the past couple of years, due to the highest inflation in four decades.

During last week’s presidential debate, the CNN anchor Jake Tapper said there’s been a 20% increase in meat prices. However meat prices, especially certified halal meat, the price hike appears to be much higher. Beef prices have especially skyrocketed, a lot more than chicken.

Thus, these Qurbani distributions cannot be seen as anything other than valuable opportunities. Many of the people waiting included parents of young children, clutching bags in one hand and a stroller in the other. It is a commentary of our society, and especially in Fairfax County, which is considered one of the most prosperous areas in the country. And yet, there are still so many individuals depending on charitable subsistence. Clearly, not everyone’s circumstances are superb despite frequent reports of a booming economy, record consumer spending, and more jobs available than people. Thus, Qurbani is a program that helps fill a void.

Speaking to some of these recipients, it’s clear that some of them are relatively recent arrivals to the United States. They don’t know much English, if any, and the attitude is that they are just trying to get a foothold. Many of them are well aware that food donations are not a permanent fix or solution to preventing hunger. Many of them are determined to shape their own destiny, and not be dependent on charitable or government services. The brutal portrayal by some segments of the media of immigrants and recent arrivals as freeloaders, or living on the dole, or living a very relaxed life — while the native born citizens are toiling endlessly — is misleading and cynically skewed. Nothing could be further from the truth.

They are looking for a little help, not a permanent handout.

To find out more, visit irusa.org/qurbani.