Muslims Celebrate Eid al-Adha While Mourning Gaza War
In honor of the holiday, which is celebrated by sharing food with those in need, some Muslim entrepreneurs are using their businesses to support Gaza
Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha last week, the Muslim holiday commemorating the prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to God. Amid the festivities, during which celebrants traditionally sacrifice animals and share the meat with those in need, many Muslims continued to mourn the victims of the ongoing war in Gaza.
Last Sunday, the first day of the four-day festival, Israel announced that it would begin observing “tactical pauses” in the fighting in Gaza in order to facilitate the entry of aid into the strip.
Much of the aid to Gaza is sent by Arab countries. Since November, the United Arab Emirates alone has provided 33,100 tons of urgent supplies to Gaza. The Emirati Foreign Ministry said that the aid had been delivered by 320 flights, seven ships, and 1,243 trucks.
In December, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry also began operating a field hospital in Gaza. More than 20,000 patients have been treated at the 200-bed hospital, which is staffed by over 100 medical professionals.
Qatar has sent over 1,000 tons of aid to Gaza via 97 flights. Qatari humanitarian aid includes food, shelter materials, clothing, medical supplies, and hygiene kits.
Qatar Charity, a Doha-based nonprofit, recently announced a plan to distribute 10,000 food packages in northern Gaza in collaboration with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees. Half of those packages have already been delivered.
Last March, Saudi Arabia pledged $40 million to UNRWA.
Some private businesses in the Arab world are also helping support Gaza. Pakistani entrepreneur Fatma Al Zahraa, who runs a business in Dubai selling Nayab Wears-brand Pakistani ethnic clothing, recently ran a 10-day campaign during which all proceeds were donated to the UAE Red Crescent’s efforts in Gaza.
The reaction that I got was mind-blowing. I didn’t expect that so many people would buy my product for a good cause.
“The reaction that I got was mind-blowing,” Al Zahraa told The Media Line. “I didn’t expect that so many people would buy my product for a good cause.”
During her 10-day campaign, she sold the amount of clothing she would normally sell in a month and a half.
“I was so happy that I was able to collect a decent amount that was donated,” she said.
Al Zahraa’s initiative inspired other small business owners to donate their proceeds to help Gaza.
Donations in the UAE must take place through official channels, rather than directly to Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, even official government aid does not always reach the Palestinians most in need of support.
Samia Ahmed lives in Jordan, and her family lives in the al-Mawasi camp in Gaza. Her family has been fortunate to find food at reasonable prices in the markets, she told The Media Line.
Many other Gazans find that the food available is being sold at inflated prices. Arab governments “get permission to bring the crumbs into Gaza, and then the aid is handed over to merchants who do not know Allah … and they sell them at prices beyond imagination,” Ahmed said.
Arab governments get permission to bring the crumbs into Gaza, and then the aid is handed over to merchants who do not know Allah … and they sell them at prices beyond imagination
The war is affecting consumers outside of Gaza as well. The Edelman Trust Barometer, an annual global report that measures trust in various institutions, found that more than one in three customers are avoiding certain brands based on their perceived stance on the conflict in Gaza.
According to the survey, which polled 15,000 consumers worldwide, 72% of Saudis and 57% of Emiratis are boycotting brands that they believe are backing a particular side in the Israel-Gaza war.
Every cup I drink reminds me of the Palestinians dying
Amal Jaafar, a resident of Dubai, told The Media Line that he has not been to Starbucks in months. “Every cup I drink reminds me of the Palestinians dying,” he said.
Pro-Palestinian organizers have promoted an informal boycott of Starbucks, which does not have stores in Israel, since the breakout of the war. The boycott was prompted by Starbucks’ decision to sue Starbucks Workers United, the company’s would-be union, over a social media post using the Starbucks logo that celebrated the October 7 attack.
