Aid is shrinking, hunger is rising – can qurbani and faith-based giving fill the gap? 

As Muslims around the world mark Eid al-Adha, Islamic Relief Worldwide’s CEO, Iftikhar Ahmed Shaheen, highlights how the practice of qurbani is one of the world’s largest acts of charitable redistribution, playing a vital role in tackling global hunger while many governments cut aid.

Eid al‑Adha is upon us, a time when Muslims reflect on the meaning of sacrifice.

This week, millions of Muslims will be converging for the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. Millions more will join them in spirit by sacrificing a goat, sheep, cow, or camel in qurbani, reflecting Prophet Ibrahim’s (or Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail for God. The meat is then distributed to vulnerable people who are most in need.

This is one of the largest annual acts of charitable redistribution in the world, feeding millions of families who would otherwise go hungry. Last year, Islamic Relief alone distributed people’s qurbani donations to 3.2 million people in 29 countries. For many it is the only meat they will eat this month and a vital source of protein to stave off malnutrition. 

This work also generates billions of dollars in livestock trade, sustaining entire value chains – from smallholder farmers and pastoralists to traders and transporters – and injecting liquidity into local markets in some of the poorest regions where livestock is one of few productive assets available. It creates a multiplier effect that increases incomes.

With huge economic and nutritional benefits, qurbani is not just an act of individual charity. It’s a powerful decentralised mechanism of global redistribution, in a world where there is enough food for everyone yet hundreds of millions of people go without. 

We always strive to ensure people’s sacrifice has the greatest possible impact. For example, our innovative Qurbani Plus approach shows how this seasonal act can support more sustainable outcomes – linking livestock, agriculture and finance to strengthen longer-term food security and livelihoods.

In rural Mali, this approach is improving the social inclusion and economic empowerment of women. Through a combination of community financing, training in vegetable production and organic fertilisers, establishing market gardens, and improving access to livestock assets, families are seeing tangible improvements in both income and nutrition.

We are already seeing strong results. The families’ average monthly income has more than doubled, as has the number of children eating a decent diet.

These contributions are now more vital than ever. After years of progress, global hunger has doubled again in the last decade. Many governments are slashing humanitarian and development funding, with cuts of up to 45% globally, leaving millions of people without the assistance they need. Around 673 million people – 8% of the world’s population – do not have enough to eat and regularly go hungry.

Now the Middle East crisis is further exacerbating hunger far beyond the region. The Middle East sits at the heart of global energy, food and fertiliser systems, with 20-30% of global oil and 20% of liquefied natural gas flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. The current disruptions to supply chains have quickly translated into higher fuel, transport and production costs worldwide, pushing up food prices beyond the reach of many.

The uncertainty has made this year’s qurbani distributions one of the most challenging and expensive ever. In Sudan, rocketing inflation means the cost of providing one qurbani has increased from $5 to $8 in just a couple of months. In Ethiopia, our staff report that health clinics have run out of vital medicine because supplies are held up. In Somalia, the price of fuel has more than tripled, making it harder and more expensive to deliver aid. In Lebanon, humanitarian actors are struggling with fuel shortages and inflation while trying to support families displaced by ongoing attacks.

I am pleased that diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East continue, but we urgently need these to be stepped up so that essential supplies can flow again. 

Amid this global fragility, qurbani takes on even greater significance – along with other faith-based giving traditions such as tithing in Christianity, dana in Buddhism, and similar in Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism. While governments turn inwards, faith communities continue to be one of the largest and most consistent sources of philanthropy for humanitarian action and social welfare. During Eid al‑Adha, the principle of sacrifice reminds us of a shared responsibility.

Right now, formal humanitarian systems are under unprecedented pressure. These deep-rooted traditions of giving can help sustain and reshape the global response to food insecurity.

Faith‑based actors are already demonstrating scale, efficiency and deep community reach. But beyond service delivery, there is a growing need and opportunity to better align these contributions with the wider sector and food security priorities, strengthen partnerships with humanitarian systems, and bridge the gap between policy commitments and realities on the ground.

Qurbani is a practical, scalable tool to combat hunger, strengthen local economies, and restore dignity to communities in crisis. 

Find out more about Islamic Relief’s 2026 qurbani programme and donate here.