Minister of Religious Affairs: Eid al-Adha is More Than Ritual – It's About Sharing

Jakarta - Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Nasaruddin Umar explained the essence of Eid al-Adha is not merely performing religious rituals, but a moment for sharing, so all societal layers can experience happiness and equal nutritional provision.

‘Idul Adha is essentially a month of sharing. We hope through this momentum, everyone can access animal-based nutrition, whether through the qurban ritual or social assistance schemes like those we implement, such as at Istiqlal Mosque,’ Menag stated in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Menag said that not all animals entrusted at Istiqlal Mosque during Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijriah are from Muslims. There are three categories: qurban animals, Dam (expiation), and social assistance.

‘Many of our non-Muslim friends also donate sacrificial animals. In fact, nearly half of the total animals come from the general public who may not intend them as Islamic qurban. We greatly appreciate this tolerance and social concern,’ Menag said.

He explained that under Islamic law, qurban is obligatory for capable Muslims. However, the participation of non-Muslims shows high social awareness to help others amid high demand for qurban meat.

To accommodate various donation types, Istiqlal implements three management schemes. First, conventional qurban management for obligatory or voluntary Islamic rituals.

Second, Dam scheme to accommodate Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to channel their fines or redemption payments in Indonesia, a move considered more impactful for local communities.

Third, social assistance or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) route to accept contributions from companies or non-Muslim individuals as social charity to strengthen meat supply.

As of the holiday, Istiqlal Mosque received 63 cattle, 18 goats, and one sheep.

All animals will be slaughtered from 28 May 2026 and distributed transparently to mosques, mushallas, orphanages, religious study groups, Islamic boarding schools, madrasahs, and Islamic universities under Istiqlal’s supervision or partnership.

‘Insha Allah, Istiqlal’s accountability system is transparent. We will report back to donors according to their donation type and intentions,’ he said.

Regarding national leaders’ sacrificial animals, Menag confirmed Istiqlal Mosque received official donations from the President and Vice President on the eve of Takbir.

Menag hopes Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijriah allows citizens to enjoy equal access to animal-based nutrition.

‘We want our Indonesian community to smile during Eid al-Adha, experiencing togetherness through assistance from any source,’ Menag said.