Istiqlal Mosque Eid al-Adha meat distributed in 10,728 one-kilogram portions
Minister of Religious Affairs and Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar stated that the sacrificial animal slaughter at Istiqlal Mosque took place today, Thursday, with the meat packaged into 10,728 one-kilogram portions.
“Masjid Istiqlal was entrusted with slaughtering 65 cattle and 13 goats for Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijriah,” Nasaruddin Umar said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Among the entrusted sacrificial animals were a 1.3-ton cow named ‘Si Loreng’ from the President of the Republic of Indonesia and a 1.2-ton cow named ‘Wirabumi’ from the Vice President.
The Minister of Religious Affairs stated that the sacrificial slaughter was conducted in accordance with Sharia regulations and animal welfare standards.
The slaughter process at Istiqlal serves as a model for other mosques across Indonesia. It is supervised by approximately 50 officers from the Halal Slaughter Service (RPH Amanah) team.
“All procedures are standardised. First, the sunnah practices are observed, with the heads facing the qibla. The animals are cleaned beforehand to ensure no impurities adhere to the meat distributed to worshippers,” the Minister said.
The Minister also prohibited actions that could cause animal cruelty, including skinning animals before confirming death.
“Do not torture animals before slaughter. Let them die first,” he said.
The sacrificial slaughter at Istiqlal is also ensured to be environmentally friendly. The Minister instructed the committee to maintain cleanliness in the area and ensure zero accidents during the slaughter process.
“We have consistently campaigned on the importance of preserving environmental eco-theology. Not a single drop of sacrificial blood should flow into rivers. After slaughter, the surrounding gardens must be restored to their original clean state,” the Minister said.
The Chairman of Istiqlal Mosque’s Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijriah Committee, Mas’ud Halimin, affirmed the committee and field teams’ commitment to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
Waste from the sacrificial slaughter is managed centrally and carefully to prevent environmental pollution, particularly in the surrounding river streams, ensuring maximum preservation of natural principles and area cleanliness.
Mas’ud added that the 10,728 portions of sacrificial meat will be distributed in a structured manner to avoid crowd congestion.
The meat is distributed to 52 foundations, 87 mosques, Mosque Management Boards, and Islamic study groups, 41 institutions, 104 neighbourhood representatives, and Istiqlal Mosque’s community partners across Greater Jakarta and parts of West Java.