As Eid-ul-Adha approaches 2026, thousands of Muslim families across Suriname are facing an unprecedented barrier to a core religious tradition: the soaring cost of sacrificial animals, which has become unaffordable for many low- and middle-income households. In response to growing financial strain, the leadership and Religious Affairs Council of the Surinamese Islamic Association (SIV) have developed and published a new guidance document outlining flexible, alternative ways for believers to fulfill the spiritual meaning of Qurbani, or ritual sacrifice, when purchasing an animal locally is out of reach.
Riaz Ahmadali, chair of the SIV Religious Affairs Council, explained to local outlet Starnieuws that while Qurbani has long been framed as an annual religious obligation, the tradition’s core tenets frame it as a strongly recommended sunnah (practice of the Prophet) only for those with the financial means to do so. Contrary to common misunderstanding, the SIV emphasizes that Qurbani is not limited solely to the ritual slaughter of an animal, but centers on a deeper spiritual commitment.
Drawing directly from Quran 22:37, the guidance notes: “It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him.” This verse underpins the SIV’s interpretation that the symbolic act of sacrifice matters more than the physical slaughter itself. Ahmadali explained that the ritual calls on believers to sacrifice their own negative traits — including ego, jealousy, corruption, and resentment toward others — by setting these harmful impulses aside, regardless of whether an animal is slaughtered.
The steep price hike for sacrificial animals stems from ongoing economic instability in Suriname. This year, a single sacrificial animal costs roughly 20,000 Surinamese dollars (SRD), nearly double the price recorded in 2025. Large livestock such as bulls, which are often split between multiple families, now cost between 140,000 and 160,000 SRD, putting them completely out of reach for most local households. SIV officials also noted that middlemen exploit pre-Eid demand by purchasing animals months in advance at low prices, then marking up costs dramatically ahead of the holiday to inflate their profits.
To address this gap, the SIV has laid out multiple accessible alternatives for believers facing financial hardship. For those unable to sacrifice annually, the guidance permits performing Qurbani once every several years instead of every year. Believers who share a household and economic resources — for example, extended family groups including parents, adult children, and cohabiting grandparents — can also split the cost and share a single sacrifice, a long-standing practice that the SIV has reaffirmed as valid. A third option allows believers to arrange Qurbani through international Islamic organizations in lower-income countries, where animal costs are far lower than in Suriname; common destinations for this practice include India, Nigeria, and Gaza, and Ahmadali confirmed that a small share of SIV members have already used this alternative this year.
The guidance also prioritizes immediate humanitarian needs over ritual sacrifice. The SIV states that for families on tight budgets, covering essential costs such as medical care for an ailing family member takes clear precedence over purchasing a sacrificial animal. This precedent was widely established during the COVID-19 pandemic, when leading international Islamic scholars universally recommended directing available funds to support unemployed and vulnerable households rather than spending on Qurbani.
In addition to practical guidance, the SIV document also outlines the historical origins of Qurbani, tracing it back to the Prophet Abraham’s dream, in which he was commanded to sacrifice his son Ismail. At the time, human sacrifice of firstborn children was a common cultural practice. When Abraham prepared to follow the command, Allah revealed that the sacrifice was not required, and that a sacrificial animal could be offered in his son’s place — abolishing the tradition of human sacrifice forever. From this origin, the SIV draws the core lesson that Qurbani calls on believers to give up a portion of their own wealth, time, and resources to support poor and vulnerable community members.
As of late May, the central SIV mosque on Keizerstraat in Paramaribo has only received registrations for two full bulls, which are split into seven shares each, meaning just 14 people have signed up for a local sacrifice. Registration numbers are higher in regions outside the capital, but still far below pre-price-hike levels.
Despite the broader financial strain, the SIV will continue its long-standing tradition of distributing packages of sacrificial meat to low-income and unhoused people across Paramaribo this year. SIV board member Raoul Bechoe confirmed that the number of people in need requesting meat assistance grows annually, and even included Cuban migrants seeking support at the Keizerstraat mosque last year. This year’s distribution is made possible by a generous donor who has gifted a bull to support two local SIV branches and unhoused community members.
Concerns over the skyrocketing cost of Qurbani were recently raised during a meeting between SIV representatives and Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons.