President Prabowo's Eid al-Adha Sacrificial Cow at Surabaya's Al-Akbar Mosque Sacrificed with Special Handling

Surabaya’s National Al-Akbar Mosque conducted the Eid al-Adha sacrificial animal ritual. President Prabowo Subianto’s cow was a key focus, requiring special handling during slaughter.

Surabaya’s Al-Akbar Mosque public relations officer, Helmy M. Noor, explained that the slaughter ceremony involved 40 halal butchers (juleha), preceded by a prayer led by the mosque’s management chairman, Sudjak.

“The slaughter ceremony, carried out by around 40 halal butchers (juleha), began with a prayer led by Dr KH M Sudjak,” said Helmy on Thursday, 28 May 2026.

Special procedures were applied for President Prabowo’s cow. The 1.1-ton Peranakan Ongole breed required a blindfold during transport to the slaughter area to prevent it from becoming agitated again, after it had previously run around the garden and nearly charged a resident upon arrival.

Thanks to the handling, the presidential cow was safely slaughtered at 6:00 AM WIB. The juleha team, led by Achmad Fauzi, recorded a cutting duration of just four seconds.

In addition to the presidential cow, the committee also slaughtered a 1-ton Belgian Blue cow belonging to East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa shortly afterwards.

“Alhamdulillah, the East Java Governor’s Belgian Blue cow, weighing 1 ton, was also slaughtered at 6:15 AM WIB with a cutting duration of 4.8 seconds by the juleha team,” he said.

In total, Al-Akbar Mosque slaughtered 21 cows (including the presidential and gubernatorial ones) and 52 goats sourced from government officials and the public. The meat packaging process involved 99 volunteers comprising mosque teachers and teenagers.

The committee estimated around 2,000 meat packages would be distributed, with Helmy stressing that distribution was targeted at verified recipients.

“The distribution is given to Gakin (poor residents) in Pagesangan and Menanggal villages, as well as social agencies that submitted proposals and were verified,” he said.

Vice Minister of State Secretariat Juri Ardiantoro explained that President Prabowo Subianto’s Eid al-Adha sacrifice program is a routine public assistance initiative.

MUI Fatwa Commission Chairman Prof KH Asrorun Niam Sholeh stated that using presidential assistance (banpers) for the sacrifice does not contravene Islamic law.

President Prabowo Subianto provided sacrificial cows from state budget (APBN) funds, according to UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Professor Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie.

Vice Minister of State Secretariat Juri Ardiantoro confirmed that the distribution of 1,098 sacrificial cows used Banpres funds in accordance with regulations.

Marlince Yadafat, a student at SMK Negeri 1 Sorong, expressed appreciation to President Prabowo for school facility assistance and nutrition programs.