This Eid Al-Adha we approached Qurbani – the greatest sacrifice - with you in mind.

With a deep understanding of the importance of this sacred obligation, we set out to not just perform your Qurbani but carry out the Amanah you entrusted to us. From start to finish we committed to observing the sunnah with compassion and commitment and ensuring that it was completed with the strictest Shari'ah Compliance.

We didn’t just take your Qurbani, we carefully carried it to where it was most needed and delivered it straight into the outstretched, needy hands of the ones who could not do without.

From Hanover Park to Cravenby, Langa to Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel to Phoenix, your sacred sacrifice brought relief and dignity to families across Cape Town for whom fresh meat is a rare luxury and offered hope and happiness to countless families.

Kashiefa's Story: Carrying the Weight of Unimaginable Loss

One of those families was that of 59-year-old Kashiefa Jordaan from Hanover Park.

We met Kashiefa during our Qurbani distribution as she stood in the queue at Masjidur Rahmaan, Hanover Park.

A wife, mother and grandmother, she had recently suffered a devastating loss. Weighed down with unimaginable grief, and overburdened with piling responsibilities, she arrived hoping to receive Qurbani meat to feed her family.

Just three days earlier her son had been murdered. He was shot multiple times at close range by two young men in front of her home as he played with his four-year-old daughter. In the blink of an eye, his life had been snuffed out. He clung on desperately for two days in hospital before succumbing to his injuries.

As incomprehensible as it seems, six years prior, Kashiefa had suffered a similar heartache. Her beloved eldest son had been gunned down by his friend at Cape Town Station as he was making his way home to have supper with his parents. His body dumped, was found a day later. Another five days passed before Kashiefa received the phone call she had been dreading from the morgue.

For families like hers, Qurbani is not simply a meal - it is relief during a time of hardship.

It is one less burden to carry when life feels overwhelming.

Mariam's Story: Rebuilding Life After War

A different story of hardship and resilience unfolded at Phoenix Masjid, situated next to the informal settlement Joe Slovo in Milnerton.

There we met 56-year-old Mariam Ndikumane, a refugee from Burundi. Mariam and her family arrived in Cape Town in 2010 after fleeing the ethnic cleansing and violence that erupted during the country’s civil war. Seeking safety and the opportunity to rebuild their lives, they settled in Joe Slovo, where they have lived ever since.

But life in Joe Slovo is dangerous and unstable. Crime and drugs are everywhere, and local gangs exert control over everyone - demanding protection money from vendors and small businesses.

Vendors have no choice – they either pay the fee or risk violence, intimidation and the destruction of their property and livelihood.

Mariam had run a small business selling traditional African food for years but was forced to pay protection money to three different gangs every month and lived in abject fear of endangering her family. Forking out a fortune in protection fees every month meant that she was unable to sustain her livelihood and eventually had no choice but to close her business.

Since then, Mariam has struggled to find employment and relies entirely on assistance from community organisations and the masjid to survive.

This Eid al-Adha, your Qurbani brought much-needed relief to Mariam and her family.

The Blessing & Joy

Fresh meat is an unknown luxury for thousands of needy families worldwide. Rising food costs mean that nutritious meals are often out of reach for millions, making your Qurbani distribution a huge blessing that brings both nourishment and joy to their homes and lives.

To the homes of Kashiefa and Mariam and so many others across the world, it brought hope and reminded them that they have not been forgotten.

Shukran Jazeelan

To every donor who entrusted Muslim Hands South Africa with their Qurbani this year, Shukran Jazeelan.

Because of your sacrifice, vulnerable families all over the world were able to experience the true spirit of Eid. Your generosity transformed an act of worship into a source of comfort, dignity and relief for those facing immense hardship.

May Allah (swt) accept your Qurbani, reward your generosity abundantly and continue to make you a means of relief for those most in need.

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