Mary Carol
19-01-05, 08:59 PM
January 19, 2005
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporter
Local mosques have teamed up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to distribute nearly 16,000 pounds of ground beef donated by Muslims as part of their religious requirement to feed the hungry for the Eid-ul-Adha holiday this week.
Chicago's estimated 400,000 Muslims usually pass out meat for family, friends and other poor people of the Islamic faith.
But this is the first time for a collective effort to feed mostly non-Muslims through the depository, which usually has a shortage of protein-based donations.
"There are words in Quran that say if you see a person who denies God, he's a person who does not encourage people to feed the needy," said imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, who initiated the project. "It's a duty of faith."
Taking root in America
Eid-ul-Adha or the "Festival of Sacrifice" marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God. Because Muslims believe God replaced Ishmael with a ram, they usually slaughter, and in most cases, buy the meat of a whole goat, sheep or cow during the four-day celebration, which begins Friday.
Islamic texts recommend that at least a third of this meat should go to the poor -- regardless of their religious backgrounds and beliefs.
As of Tuesday, Muslims ordered 15,750 pounds of beef designated for the Greater Chicago Food Depository's 600 soup kitchens, shelters and pantries. Participating mosques will continue collecting donations until the end of the week.
Many area Muslims, who are Asian, Middle Eastern, African immigrants, are accustomed to sending money to their native countries so the poverty-stricken there can enjoy the rare luxury of meat on Eid-ul-Adha. However, more American Muslims are looking for ways to incorporate their charitable obligations through social services available here.
"We're not trying to discourage that [giving money overseas for meat], but at the same time, we need to realize there is hunger right here in our neighborhoods," said attorney Kamran Memon, who was instrumental in drumming up mosque participation for the charity drive.
Donation to Food Depository
Through the "Sacrifice This Eid For Our Neighbors" campaign, which was modeled on a similar program in Toronto, Muslims pay $139 for a portion of a cow.
The meat will be "zabiha," which means the cow will be slaughtered and processed in accordance with Islamic law. The four-pound ground beef portions will be labeled "Donated by Chicago Muslims" before they will be distributed by the Greater Chicago Food Depository early next month.
The donation is significant because large quantities of "fresh quality meat" is a rarity for the depository, spokeswoman Donna Larkin said.
"Because it's a perishable, high-priced item, we don't get donations for meat products on a regular basis," Larkin said.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-meat19.html
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporter
Local mosques have teamed up with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to distribute nearly 16,000 pounds of ground beef donated by Muslims as part of their religious requirement to feed the hungry for the Eid-ul-Adha holiday this week.
Chicago's estimated 400,000 Muslims usually pass out meat for family, friends and other poor people of the Islamic faith.
But this is the first time for a collective effort to feed mostly non-Muslims through the depository, which usually has a shortage of protein-based donations.
"There are words in Quran that say if you see a person who denies God, he's a person who does not encourage people to feed the needy," said imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, who initiated the project. "It's a duty of faith."
Taking root in America
Eid-ul-Adha or the "Festival of Sacrifice" marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, for God. Because Muslims believe God replaced Ishmael with a ram, they usually slaughter, and in most cases, buy the meat of a whole goat, sheep or cow during the four-day celebration, which begins Friday.
Islamic texts recommend that at least a third of this meat should go to the poor -- regardless of their religious backgrounds and beliefs.
As of Tuesday, Muslims ordered 15,750 pounds of beef designated for the Greater Chicago Food Depository's 600 soup kitchens, shelters and pantries. Participating mosques will continue collecting donations until the end of the week.
Many area Muslims, who are Asian, Middle Eastern, African immigrants, are accustomed to sending money to their native countries so the poverty-stricken there can enjoy the rare luxury of meat on Eid-ul-Adha. However, more American Muslims are looking for ways to incorporate their charitable obligations through social services available here.
"We're not trying to discourage that [giving money overseas for meat], but at the same time, we need to realize there is hunger right here in our neighborhoods," said attorney Kamran Memon, who was instrumental in drumming up mosque participation for the charity drive.
Donation to Food Depository
Through the "Sacrifice This Eid For Our Neighbors" campaign, which was modeled on a similar program in Toronto, Muslims pay $139 for a portion of a cow.
The meat will be "zabiha," which means the cow will be slaughtered and processed in accordance with Islamic law. The four-pound ground beef portions will be labeled "Donated by Chicago Muslims" before they will be distributed by the Greater Chicago Food Depository early next month.
The donation is significant because large quantities of "fresh quality meat" is a rarity for the depository, spokeswoman Donna Larkin said.
"Because it's a perishable, high-priced item, we don't get donations for meat products on a regular basis," Larkin said.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-meat19.html