Prabowo: Leadership is Destiny
President Prabowo Subianto stated that leadership is destiny. According to Prabowo, authority originates from God. The Head of State made this statement during a state-level Nuzulul Quran commemoration for the year 1447 Hijriah or 2026 CE.
Prabowo’s remarks came following a lecture and prayer by Muslim scholar Quraish Shihab. Prabowo said that Quraish Shihab’s enlightenment held great significance for him, particularly regarding justice and the destiny of leaders trusted by the people.
“The more I realise that leadership is destiny and authority originates from the Almighty, and that authority is given as a mission to uphold truth, justice, and honesty,” Prabowo said at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday evening, 10 March 2026.
Prabowo believes that authority is a duty to protect and bring welfare and justice to all the people he leads. Prabowo also expressed gratitude to Quraish Shihab for delivering a brief lecture to guests at the Nuzulul Quran commemoration event.
That lecture, he said, imparted meaning about fundamental matters. “The meaning of peace, the meaning of tranquility, the meaning of reconciliation, can also teach us that differences need not lead to division,” Prabowo said.
Quraish Shihab previously prayed for President Prabowo Subianto during his lecture at the State Palace. In his lecture, Quraish touched upon the matter of authority. Quraish initially recounted that his prayer was inspired by one of his teachers in Egypt, Sheikh Mutawalli Sha’rawi, who had once prayed for the president of his country.
“He once prayed for the Egyptian President. His prayer began with the phrase: ‘Authority originates from God,’” Quraish said at the end of his lecture.
In that prayer, Quraish said, Mutawalli stated that no one is granted authority except by God’s will. “Whether a ruler is honest and follows God’s guidance or a ruler is disobedient, all authority originates from God,” he said.
Quraish then followed his teacher’s prayer for President Prabowo. In his prayer, he hoped that the people could support the president if God ordained that leader for them.