Charity begins at home – and there are millions of people in SA who need our help

THE Qurbani appeals have already started, even though the sacred occasion is still two months away.

On the first day of Ramadaan, April 3, I found two pamphlets in my postbox seeking my Qurbani contribution – one of them would be used in “Rajestan”.

According to the information, “Rajestan” would be one of the provinces where the financial contributions would be made.

I have previously raised some of my concerns with the local organisations seeking Qurbani contributions, but I have never received satisfactory answers.

Millions of people are starving right here at home amid the rampant poverty and unemployment exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. So why do we not subscribe to the principle of ‘charity begins at home’?

I have asked before – where exactly is “Rajestan” and what are these “other provinces”? I can only assume that it refers to the state of Rajasthan in India and other states there.

If so, how do you propose to slaughter the cattle you wish to there with the R260 share that you have requested from me? This too when Muslims are regularly under attack there and are killed for slaughtering or dealing in cattle?

While I acknowledge the challenges of Muslims in foreign countries, why are we again seeking donations for Palestine, Syria and other places to feed people for Ramadaan?

In my naivete, can some religious leader please advise me of where the religious injunction is in the scriptures to help only Muslims, rather than all of humanity, especially our local brothers and sisters?

My understanding of the Qurbani is that an animal has to be reared almost like a part of the family before being offered for sacrifice. This is done in order to experience the feelings that Prophet Ibrahim had when he was willing to sacrifice his son Ismail for Allah. Allah had then ordered that Ibrahim sacrifice the sheep instead.

Where then does this emotional element of the Qurbani come in when we are expected to hand over our share to some religious organisation or coordinator of the Qurbani, whether locally or in foreign lands?

Is it not perhaps just a way of funding an annual holiday abroad for these people?

Do the funds raised pay for their flights, accommodation and nowadays onerous vaccine requirements as well?

Locally, it has become almost a ritual for some people to pay someone to buy a sheep, and they never get to see the sheep that are slaughtered on their behalf somewhere. Also, especially in the past two decades, how is it that anyone can become a temporary livestock farmer in their backyard?

Are the soaring prices of sheep and cattle during this period not perhaps related to these middlemen taking their cut (pardon the pun)? Or has it to do with farmers exploiting Muslims who want to exercise their religious obligation, albeit sometimes in an indirect way to the original objective?

I know that I will once again not get clear answers to most of these issues and if I use my name, probably get a fatwa issued against me by one or other moulana or mufti.

But for those Muslims who would probably overlook these questions, even inadvertently, when deciding on their Qurbani contributions, I hope they allow you to rethink the original objective of the sacrifice.

Consider helping our fellow citizens first before funding someone’s holiday abroad on a religious pretence.

SA MUSLIM SEEKING ANSWERS

Johannesburg