Forestry Minister Addresses Spiritual Responsibility in Forest Conservation During Nuzulul Quran Commemoration

JAKARTA — During a Nuzulul Quran commemoration in Jakarta on Monday, 9 March 2026, Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni underscored the spiritual dimension of forest management, arguing that forest conservation transcends ecological concerns and carries moral and spiritual significance.

The event, organised by the Forestry Ministry and attended by Deputy Forestry Minister Rohmat Marzuki, ministry leadership, and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin—who delivered an Islamic sermon—served as a gathering for the forestry community during the holy month of Ramadhan.

“The Forestry Ministry is not merely concerned with ecological matters but also with eschatological ones,” Raja Juli stated. “We have a constitutional responsibility from President Prabowo to protect forests, which is equally a spiritual obligation. Forest conservation serves both worldly and spiritual purposes.”

Raja Juli noted that Quranic values can guide forestry professionals in environmental stewardship and responsible forest management. He emphasised that Islamic teachings offer guidance in distinguishing between ethical and unethical practices, including in ensuring sustainable forest management.

The event featured the distribution of Quranic texts and food parcels to Forestry Ministry staff families. APP Group, a major corporation, donated 1,000 Qurans to ministry personnel.

Suhendra Wiriadinata, APP Group’s director, stated: “Ramadhan is an opportune moment to strengthen values of solidarity and social responsibility. We hope the distributed Qurans will benefit recipients and contribute to expanding public access to the Quranic text.”

APP Group’s Quranic endowment programme, which began in 2008, has distributed over 1.4 million Qurans across Indonesia through partnerships with religious organisations, educational institutions, communities, and military and police units.