SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Lynn's Place, Alison McAteer House and Yellowknives Dene First Nation are more than 250 pounds of lamb, beef and chicken richer after a generous meat donation courtesy of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife.

Islamic Centre of Yellowknife (ICYK) secretary Asif Mirza, left, Alison McAteer House manager Debby Rybchinski, YWCA executive director Lyda Fuller and ICYK president Nazim Awan stand outside Alison McAteer House. Rybchinski is holding up some of the frozen meat the ICYK donated this year on the Muslim festival of Eid-Al-Adha. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo

Outside Alison McAteer House after dropping off the meat on Saturday, Islamic Centre president Nazim Awan said the donation to people in need is part of Eid-Al-Adha, a three-day religious holiday during which Muslims perform Qurbani or Udhiyyah, which translates in English as a feast of sacrifice.

"The satisfaction and happiness after every act of charity is huge, but it's immense especially after feeding the hungry," he said. "As representative of the Islamic Centre, I feel it is our collective obligation to help members of the community in need."

For the past three years, Awan said the ICYK has been co-ordinating the Eid-Al-Adha festival in Yellowknife. Because the actual sacrifice of the animal cannot be practiced in the city due to certain "logistical challenges," he explained, the centre encourages its members to perform the sacrifice in Edmonton. From there, the meat is transported to Yellowknife.

"The meat (...) is distributed as per Islamic principles," he explained.

"One-third each for the personal use; one-third to be distributed to friends; and one-third to the needy."

The meat is halal, the Islamic method of slaughtering animals or poultry, he said, which involves killing the animal through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. The animals are alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and blood is drained from the carcass.

YWCA executive director Lyda Fuller greeted Awan and ICYK secretary Asif Mirza at Alison McAteer House on Saturday. She said she and the YWCA staff appreciate the donations because the shelter is a refuge for hungry women and children who don't often have access to meat protein.

"This is going to go a long way to helping women and kids who are hungry who are at Lynn's Place and here at the shelter," Fuller said.

"I really appreciate the effort that the Islamic Centre has gone to. This is the second year they have donated to us, and I really value their contributions to the community."

In previous years, the centre has donated the meat of sacrificed animals to the Yellowknife Food Bank and The Salvation Army.

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