Islamic Scholar Abdul Somad: Police Duty Is Not Merely Employment but a Sacred Trust

Palembang — Islamic scholar Ustaz Abdul Somad served as the preacher during Friday prayers held at Assa’adah Mosque at South Sumatra Regional Police Headquarters on Friday, 13 March 2026.

In his sermon, Ustaz Abdul Somad reminded police personnel that their duties constitute not merely employment but a sacred trust (amanah) requiring accountability before both society and before God Almighty.

The Friday prayers were attended by South Sumatra Police Chief Inspector General Sandi Nugroho, senior officials of the regional police headquarters, and hundreds of officers in an atmosphere of reverence and devotion.

Ustaz Abdul Somad’s presence provided spiritual reinforcement for South Sumatra Police personnel, particularly during the Ramadan period and ahead of Eid al-Fitr security operations.

In his sermon, Ustaz Abdul Somad emphasised that the primary purpose of human creation is to worship God Almighty. However, he explained that worship extends beyond ritual practices such as prayer, fasting, and remembrance to encompass all work and service performed with sincere intention, full responsibility, and founded upon the principle of sacred trust.

“Every work can become an act of worship if performed for God’s sake and carried out as a sacred trust,” stated Ustaz Abdul Somad in his sermon.

He illustrated various professions capable of holding the value of worship, ranging from healthcare workers caring for patients, public officials serving the people, to law enforcement officers upholding justice. In the context of policing, he emphasised that the duties of maintaining security, protecting the public, and enforcing law fairly constitute acts of service possessing the value of worship.

Ustaz Abdul Somad further reminded that positions and authority are not merely honours but significant trusts for which accountability will be required. Therefore, all authority wielded must be exercised to uphold justice, not for personal interest.

“Position is a sacred trust. Authority is not to be abused, but to uphold justice,” he affirmed.

The message received serious consideration from personnel attending the Friday prayers at the regional police headquarters. For police officers, the sermon served as a reminder that their uniforms and duties must be discharged with integrity, honesty, and high personal responsibility.