World Refugee Day By Minhaj Hassan Lately, it seems hardly a day goes by where you don’t hear about refugees. Whether it’s the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, or other countries where instability has taken hold (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia, among others), forced displacement has become more common than anyone would like. It is a sad story whenever someone is forced to leave their homeland due to conditions or circumstances beyond their control.  Islamic Relief USA has long helped refugee populations and has especially stepped up the past year. After people from Afghanistan managed to reach the United States following the end of a decades-long war last August, IRUSA’s volunteers helped assemble…

Economic Disaster and Humanitarian Crisis By Yusuf Azmi Sri Lanka is in the middle of the worst economic crisis in its history. Skyrocketing inflation rates, depleted foreign exchange reserves, and surging food prices are amongst the numerous issues causing the country’s economic state to spiral. The government has been forced to default on its loan payments for the first time, and months of widespread protests against their policies, which were largely peaceful, have started to turn violent in recent weeks resulting in eight fatalities and over 200 people wounded. Since emerging from a grueling 26-year civil war, Sri Lanka experienced an exponential rate of growth, in large part due to…

Dhu al-Hijjah By Yusuf Azmi What do the start of Hajj, the sacrifice of Qurbani/Udhiyah, the celebration of Eid al-Adha, and the best 10 days of the year all have in common? They all occur during the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah.  During the twelth and final month of the Hijri calendar, the first 10 days of Dhu al-Hijjah hold a special significance in the hearts of every Muslim. The importance of these days can be found in both Qur’an and Hadith. “By the dawn; by the ten nights” (al-Fajr 89:1-2) It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There are no days during…

Children’s Day By Rubina Ali Children’s Day takes place on the second Sunday of June, celebrated this year on June 12. While different countries celebrate Children’s Day on different days, they all share one common theme: to uphold the rights of children. These rights, defined by the United Nations, include the rights to protection, education, healthcare, shelter, and good nutrition. Today, one in five children live in a conflict or war zone. Studies show children living in conflict zones are at the highest risk of experiencing violence, psychological stress, hunger, loss of education, and lack basic resources.  At Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), we don’t just support children and orphans in…

Islamic Relief USA  hosted its 5th Annual City of Alexandria Interfaith Ramadan Iftar at its headquarters on Wheeler Avenue on April 19. The last in-person iftar was in 2019, as the Covid-19 pandemic prevented it from taking place the last two years. In addition to the city’s elected officials, other guests included members of the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, the Fire Department, and local churches and faith groups “We’re back here. We are with our friends,” remarked Sharif Aly, chief executive officer of Islamic Relief USA. He talked about the importance we all have in making sure our brothers and sisters of all faith traditions don’t go hungry, citing a…