QURBANI, AN ISLAMIC FESTIVAL

Eid-ul-Azha, an Islamic festival, commemorating the sacrifice of prophet Ibrahim, follows religious teachings in true letter and spirit, helps individuals and bridge the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged people of the society through the instrumental act of Qurbani i.e., a sacrifice of an animal that Muslims can eat, a goat, sheep, cow or camel – by those who can afford to do so. The festival is of dire importance for the needy as according to a government survey, four in ten children under the age of five years are stunted in the country since they are deprived of the very basic feed. Hence, Qurbani has a beautiful essence attached to it as those who cannot afford nutritious meals get to enjoy it during this festival.
Eid-ul Azha, the festival of sacrifice is directly related with the economic affairs of our society as it has a multiplier effect on the economy. The festival is surely a driver of social bonding but on the hindsight, it plays an important role of an economic catalyst too. The total number of sacrificial animals in the world is around 82.5 million and Pakistan ranks third globally, with around 10.4 million sacrificial animals, after Saudi Arabia (15 million) and Indonesia (10.9 million). The estimated amount involved in the sacrifice of animals in Pakistan is more than Rs500 billion and after considering other industries, this amount would be much higher. Eid-ul Azha create many economic opportunities at all levels of the economy and is a vital contributor to the export sector and the net capital outflow of our economy. Last year at the time of Eid-ul Azha Remittances from overseas Pakistanis reached $2768 million, that was the highest ever amount in one month in the history of Pakistan. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan, the estimated value of the livestock industry was Rs 5 trillion in 2019, around 60 percent of the agriculture industry and 13 percent of the GDP. Pakistan’s GDP in 2019 stood at around Rs 38 trillion. According to one estimate, the value of the Eid economy was Rs 200 billion in 2019. This is a mere 4 percent of the livestock sector and 0.5 percent of the GDP.

Through the data above one can assume the positive impacts on our stagging economy if we exercise this practice each year. At one hand we will be more successful in eradicating malnutrition from the society and on the other hand the labor in the cattle industry will be prospering economically. But due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the animal markets are at all halt right now and even if the markets are set up, the movement will be quite constricted just like last year due to the fear of coronavirus, as according to former chairperson of the Pakistan Tanners Association, there was a 5% to 10% decrease in sacrificial animals in 2020 as compared to 2019. If this happens again it will have adverse effects on our economy and more importantly on the cattle farm industry. To overcome this, we have to adapt to the technology at hand and carry out the festival of sacrifice with the help of the online services of various organizations.

For the last five years Shifa Foundation has played a vital part in the distribution of the sacrificial meat and have successfully implemented its Qurbani campaign in different regions of Pakistan and received applauding response from the donors. Last year amid the coronavirus pandemic Shifa Foundation shifted its mode of raising funds for Qurbani to an online apt system which was very convenient for the donors. This year too for the impoverished in Pakistan, Shifa Foundation have provided a distinctive solution for its gracious donors to perform the great Sunnah of Qurbani while serving the humanity through our Online Qurbani Campaign.