MUI Confirms Prabowo's Use of State Budget for Sacrificial Animals Complies with Islamic Law, Cites Hadith Basis

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has stated that the national leader purchasing sacrificial animals using state funds (APBN) is permissible under Islamic law. This comes in response to public debate over President Prabowo Subianto’s distribution of 1,098 cattle bought with the state budget to various regions across Indonesia.

MUI’s Fatwa Commission Chairman, Professor KH Asrorun Niam Sholeh, explained that the procurement model has strong fiqh foundations in Islamic history. Citing a hadith from Imam Bukhari, he noted that a leader or imam is recommended to purchase sacrificial animals through baitul mal or state funds.

“In the modern state context, APBN serves as a modern Baitul Mal managed for public interest. Thus, the state’s sacrificial offerings are solely for the benefit and welfare of the wider community. There is no issue under Islamic law,” he said.

He added that the mechanism is also bureaucratically logical, as it mirrors other government social assistance programmes. The difference is that this aid is provided in the form of sacrificial animals distributed to various regions.

“Similar to the Banpres budget allocated for basic necessities and distributed to the public, the logic is the same: the sacrificial animals are not consumed personally by the President but directly distributed to regions,” he added.

The President’s distribution of sacrificial cattle via Banpres is seen as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen social care, enhance religious outreach, and ensure communities across regions share in the joy of Eid al-Adha 1447 AH.