IDB President Ahmed Mohammed Ali briefs the media about the bank’s animal sacrifice program.

The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on Saturday hosted a reception in honor of media representatives from Muslim countries, who are currently in Saudi Arabia to cover Haj, to discuss this year’s Adahi project and ongoing awareness strategies related to the project.

During the reception, IDB President Ahmed Mohammed Ali apprised the media of the Kingdom’s Project for the Utilization of Haj Meat (Adahi), which is designed to help pilgrims perform the sacrificial ritual by providing them animals that meet all Shariah and health requirements while ensuring the environment remains clean and protected in and around the holy sites.

He mentioned that it is the only institution approved by the Saudi government to issue and market coupons for sacrificial animals during Haj, and appealed to the media to spread the information to pilgrims to avoid any bogus coupons that have prices lower than the IDB’s price.

He also requested them to inform pilgrims of their respective countries about the need to avoid going to the project’s abattoirs during peak periods.

The bank said it has already supplied adequate numbers of coupons among the authorized distributors: Saudi Post, Al-Rajhi Bank branches, Al-Amoudi Exchange bureaus and Al Haj & Al Muatamir Society in Makkah. Moreover, people can also purchase coupons electronically through Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) and Mobily.

Ali pointed out that as per the Royal Decree 131, the sole institution authorized to sell Adahi coupons is the IDB-run Saudi project for the Utilization of Haj Meat. He added that the project has made provisions for 1 million sheep.

The project provides livestock that fulfill Shariah and health requirements. Nearly 20,000 butchers and 800 veterinarian, as well as Islamic Shariah supervisors and administrators have been recruited to inspect and ensure high standards.

The project, established in 1983 by the Kingdom, so far has managed to utilize and distribute more than 18 million heads of livestock among the poor in the Kingdom and 24 other countries. This year IDB aims to make the meat available to its rightful beneficiaries in Makkah and to eligible people in different parts of the world.

Interested pilgrims can buy vouchers or coupons, which are available on www.adahi.org. This portal is also designed to enable individuals intending to buy sheep for Adhiya, Sadaqa or Aqeeqa to do so with credit cards all year round from any part of the world. The price of each coupon this year is SR475 ($127).

Several Haj missions have already signed memoranda with the IDB for the use of this program during Haj.