Palace clarifies President's Qurban program funded by state budget as government assistance

Deputy State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro explained that President Prabowo Subianto’s Quran program for Eid al-Adha this year is a regular public assistance initiative aimed at spreading joy evenly. Previously, there had been discussions about the use of state budget (APBN) for the presidential Qurban. “The president’s Quran cattle are intended as a form of government assistance, specifically to involve those in need in Eid al-Ad celebrations through animal slaughtering,” he stated in a remarks on Thursday (28/5).

This was communicated following public scrutiny over the use of APBN for procuring Quran cattle, including 1,098 cattle distributed nationwide. Ardiant emphasised that the initiative is a long-standing government practice for public welfare, separate from the president’s personal interests. He added that the program aims to bring happiness to all during Eid al-Adha, noting that apart from official procurement, the head of state also purchases Quran cattle using personal funds, which are then distributed to citizens.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Uulama Council (MUI) confirmed that state-funded Quran does not contravene Islamic law. MUI Fatwa chairman Professor Asrorun Niam Sholeh stated the practice is rooted in Islamic history, citing a hadith allowing leaders to use bait al-mal ( state funds) for Quran. He added that APBN is a modern equivalent of communal funds. ” In the context of a modern state, APBN reflects bait al-mal. Quran initiated by the state solely serves public interest with no Sharia issues,” he said.

Niam further stressed that the Quran program aligns with bureaucratic processes as another form of government assistance. “This practice is similar to presidential assistance for basic necessities distributed to communities. The logic is identical, as the meat is not consumed by the president but directly distributed to regions,” he concluded.