Eid al-Adha Momentum for Strengthening Food Security, Improve Nutrition: Minister

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, delivered a greeting of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha in a video published on Wednesday, May 27,2026. He mentioned the holiday, observed every 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calensar, as a momentum for food security and benefitting the people.

In his remarks, Nasaruddin Umar said that the essence of udhiyyah or qurban, the ritual of sacrificing livestock, is the willingness to sacrifice something in order to prioritize the greater public good. He invited the people to learn from the Prophet Abraham story, in which he was willing to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, as an act of obedience to God's command.

"The exemplary conduct of Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, and Prophet Ishmael, peace be upon him, teaches us that sacrifice is about prioritizing the greater good. These are the values that we must embody in our national life," he said.

According to the Minister, the qurban ritual has a "very concrete" social meaning. He said the obliged distribution of sacrificial meat to poor communities is not merely symbolic.

"It (also) strengthened families' food security and protein project, help those in need, and contribute to efforts to improve nutrition, especially to prevent stunting," he said.

Umar also said that the spirit of sacrifice is a collective force that drives solidarity, strengthens mutual cooperation, and promotes social justice. He invited Indonesian Muslims to make Eid al-Adha a momentum for expanding positive impact.

"Let us make Eid al-Adha a momentum to expand (positive) impact, foster empathy, and ensure that every act of worship we perform brings benefits to others," he concluded.