President hands over sacrificial animal to Baiturrahman Mosque

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) handed over a sacrificial animal to the Baiturrahman Mosque, Semarang City, Monday.

The president handed over a simental cow, weighing around 1,250 kilograms, to the Baiturrahman Mosque sacrificial committee for Eid al-Adha 1445 H, according to a written statement from the Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau.

"I hereby hand over our sacrificial animal in the form of a cow to the Eid al-Adha organizing committee at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Semarang, as our family's sacrificial service, to be slaughtered and distribute the meat to those who are entitled to it. May Allah accept this worship," Jokowi remarked.

Earlier, President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana performed Eid al-Adha prayers at Simpang Lima Square, Semarang, not far from Baiturrahman Mosque. President Jokowi and his entourage arrived at the location at around 6:05 local time.

At 6:25 p.m. local time, the Eid al-Adha prayer was started, led by Imam K.H. Zaenuri Ahmad Al Hafiz, Caretaker of the Nurul Qur'ani Islamic Boarding School Semarang.

After the prayer, President Jokowi listened to a sermon delivered by preacher Hasyim Asy'ari, who is also Chairman of the Indonesian General Election Commission. The sermon delivered had the theme of "Sacrifice as a Test of Faith."

In his sermon, Asy'ari said that Eid al-Adha is rooted in the story of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail AS. At that time, Allah had ordered Prophet Ibrahim to make a sacrifice by slaughtering his only biological son, Ismail. With his obedience, Prophet Ibrahim was willing to comply with that order.

"We should emulate and follow the sacrifices made by the Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, in the sense that we, with our abilities, are willing to obey and comply with Allah's commands by sacrificing some of the wealth we have," Asy'ari reminded.

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"If on Eid al-Fitr, we make other people happy with zakat, then on Eid al-Adha, we make other people happy with sacrificial services," he remarked.

On this occasion, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Central Java Acting Governor Nana Sudjana, Military Commander IV/Diponegoro Major General Deddy Suryadi, Central Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General Ahmad Luthfi, and Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunarti Rahayu also accompanied President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana.