PWNU DKI States President Permitted to Use State Budget for Sacrificial Cattle

President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to distribute 1,098 sacrificial cattle using a Rp100 billion state budget for Eid al-Adha 2026 sparked public debate, with some questioning the legitimacy of a leader using public funds for sacrifice instead of personal money. Mukti Ali Qusyairi, a consultant at the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Jakarta Provincial Lembaga Bahtsul Masail (LBM), stated that the president’s action is valid and has strong grounding in classical fiqh literature (kitab kuning) of the Shafi’i school. According to Mukti, classical scholars such as Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haitami in Tuhfatul Muhtaj and Imam al-Mawardi in al-Hawi al-Kabir have explained that a leader (imam) is permitted, even encouraged, to sacrifice on behalf of all Muslims using state treasury funds (baitul mal), equivalent to today’s national budget (APBN) or regional budget (APBD). ‘Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), during his leadership, sacrificed two sheep, one intended specifically for himself and the Muslim community who affirm the oneness of Allah,’ Mukti explained in a statement on Monday, 1 June 2026. While valid, Mukti highlighted an important note regarding intention. Since the sacrificial animals were purchased with state funds (public money), the sacrifice should not be intended for Prabowo Subianto personally, but for all Indonesian Muslims or the local community where the cattle are slaughtered. Historically, large-scale state-sponsored sacrifice programmes are not new but a continuation of the Presidential Social Assistance (Banpres) initiative started during President Suharto’s era and continued by subsequent leaders. From a socio-economic perspective, the policy is seen as delivering tangible benefits. The Rp100 billion allocated for local cattle supports livestock farmers’ economies and serves as a concrete step towards improving nutrition and addressing stunting through meat distribution. However, the programme has also drawn comments from KH Asnawi Ridwan of Fasihuddin Islamic Boarding School in Depok, who urged provincial or central governments to extend similar social assistance to non-Muslim communities through programmes aligned with their respective religious teachings to ensure fairness and prevent social resentment. Access to animal protein remains a challenge for communities in remote, border, and outermost areas (3T). The distribution of sacrificial meat also strengthens the contribution of Baznas Livestock Centre, which currently operates at 103 points across 15 provinces. NU Care-LAZISNU Executive Director Riri Khariroh stated the sacrifice programme was initially focused on reaching communities previously unable to access assistance. A total of 43 cattle and 149 goats, worth Rp2 billion, were distributed as sacrificial animals. PT Jaminan Pembiayaan Askrindo Syariah distributed four cattle and 35 goats to the public during the Eid al-Adha 1447H celebrations.