EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — As Muslims prepare to observe Eid al-Adha 1447 H, which according to the Global Unified Hijri Calendar will fall on May 27, 2026, Muhammadiyah Member Muhammad Aziz has urged the public to reflect on sacrifice not merely as ritual slaughter, but as a moral call to confront greed, ego, and the excessive pursuit of power and wealth.
Speaking during Friday prayers at Islamic Center Mosque, Ahmad Dahlan University, Aziz linked the spiritual meaning of Eid al-Adha to what he described as Indonesia’s ongoing moral and social challenge.
“Our nation still faces unresolved welfare issues. The promise of prosperity for all Indonesians, as envisioned at independence, remains far from reality,” he said.
He pointed to persistent poverty, unemployment, corruption, rising hedonism, and violent crime as symptoms of a deeper ethical decline.
According to Aziz, these conditions call for a renewed spirit of sacrifice. “Sacrifice is the key if we are to overcome this humanitarian and moral crisis, as well as the economic weakening affecting our country,” he said.
Beyond Ritual Slaughter
Aziz argued that many Muslims reduce qurban to the annual slaughter of goats, cattle, or camels. Yet, he said, the ritual carries a much deeper symbolic meaning.
“The true meaning lies in slaughtering the ego, greed, and excessive attachment to wealth, position, and power,” he said.
He urged Muslims to treat Eid al-Adha as a moment to renew their willingness to sacrifice for religion, nation, and public welfare. Muslims on the other hand, should not sacrifice the common good for personal or political interests.
To illustrate his point, Aziz revisited the example of Prophet Ibrahim, whose steadfast devotion to monotheism remains central to the theology of sacrifice.
He cited Ibrahim’s willingness to distance himself even from his own father when faith and principle demanded it. To him, this is an enduring lesson in moral conviction.
“The word qurban comes from the Arabic root meaning ‘to draw near,’” Aziz explained. “It means removing everything that prevents us from drawing closer to God.”
Those obstacles, he said, often take the form of ego, unchecked desire, the pursuit of authority, and material excess.
Leadership as Service
Aziz also emphasized the leadership lessons embedded in the story of Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail.
In Islamic thought, he said, leaders are called to serve their people rather than demand service from them.
“A true leader in Islam must serve and love the people, not expect to be served,” he said.
He described Ibrahim as the father of prophetic leadership, whose legacy shaped generations of prophets, culminating in Prophet Muhammad.
In his closing remarks, Aziz warned that nations decline when their leaders abandon justice and lose the spirit of sacrifice.
“If we no longer possess the willingness to sacrifice and care for others — especially for the people we lead—this nation will suffer,” he said.
He also reminded worshippers that Eid al-Adha carries a strong social dimension through service to the poor and care for the marginalized.
For that reason, he said, the ritual must not end as a ceremony alone. Instead, it should inspire social responsibility, moral accountability, and a deeper commitment to the common good.
