Converting Sacrifice Amid Pandemic

Two weeks ago, almost simultaneously with the government\'s decision to tighten public activity restrictions following the increase in COVID-19 transmissions in Java and Bali, the public was shocked with the news of the scarcity of medical oxygen.

Many hospitals have reported a shortage of medical oxygen supply, threatening the safety of COVID-19 patients receiving treatment. After an investigation, according to official reports, it was found that the demand had indeed increased along with the surge in infection cases, but the actually supply was normal.

The problem, it turns out, was that many people began to buy medical oxygen to store at home, causing it to become scarce and the price to increase. In fact, based on police investigations, not all of those who bought medical oxygen were sick or in need. Panic buying, that\'s the term.

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People allegedly panicked following the implementation of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat). They felt the need, or even obligation, to keep medical oxygen at home just in case.

Try to remember the scarcity of masks, antiseptic liquid or soap, certain drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and other necessities when the pandemic first arrived in Indonesia.

Such incidents occur frequently. Usually, it is related to food. However, especially in a difficult and uncertain situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all commodities can suddenly become scarce. Try to remember the scarcity of masks, antiseptic liquid or soap, certain drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and other necessities when the pandemic first arrived in Indonesia.

Cohesion and cooperation

Yes, everyone must be vigilant and take care of their health. The suggestion that prevention is better than a cure remains true. However, seeking safety individually instead of helping others and helping each other will not change the situation.

This pandemic is not an individual disaster or a disaster in one or two regions, but it is being experienced on a global scale and involves the global community.

"Nothing [...] is safe, until we are all safe," World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a year ago.

The biggest health emergency since the beginning of the 20th century should be an opportunity for us to unite in national unity and global solidarity. In simpler and clearer terms, the community must work together and be united, even if we are required to make sacrifices to foster solidarity.

The problem is: What can drive people to work together?

Consider a study by anthropologist Richard Sosis, as quoted by Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind, who studied hundreds of communes in the United States in the 19th century and classified them into two categories: religious communes and secular communes.

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Sosis\' research, in summary, found that religious communes were more likely to survive than secular communes. In other words, religion or religious beliefs can make groups more cohesive and cooperative.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Cows for sacrifice are sold at the Amanah Depot in Cilendek, Bogor City, West Java, Sunday (18/7/2021). The sale of these livestock continues to serve orders through online services, making it easier to order during the pandemic.

Communes can only survive and succeed as long as they bind the group together and suppress vested interests. The key, according to Richard, turned out to be the high sacrifices that each commune demanded from its members. Based on the results of the study, Haidt concludes, ritual practices that are underestimated and considered inefficient and irrational have turned out to be the solution to one of the toughest problems facing humanity: cooperation. Beliefs that are considered irrational can actually help a group or society to function more rationally.

Sacrifice and selfishness

The story about the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham who obeyed Allah\'s command to slaughter his son, Ismail, but then Allah replaced his only child with a lamb, is really relevant to reflect on. The value is especially important when humanity is facing difficulties due to the pandemic and requires solidarity and cooperation.

We tend to interpret the slaughter of sacrificial animals every Idul Adha as a ritual; yes, sometimes with the insertion of the meaning that the sacrifice is a manifestation of obedience to Allah\'s commandments. That\'s not wrong. However, why not convert the ritual as a means to strengthen social cohesion and increase cooperation as Sosis described?

Practicing sacrifice worship as a vehicle to taqarub ilallah (draw closer to Allah), having a spiritual-transcendental dimension, is quite clear. But how to convert this worship as taqarub ilannas (an instrument to create closeness between humans), a social-humanist dimension in the current situation?

First of all, it must be understood that when Allah replaced Ismail with a lamb, Allah ordered to save human beings from attitudes and traits that do not respect humans and humanity. Such behavior and traits often manifest in an attitude of tyrannizing others, justifying all means and being selfish or looking for one\'s own safety.

Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

A worker arrange pieces of sacrificial animals at the PD Dharma Jaya abattoir (RPH), Cakung, East Jakarta, Saturday (1/8/2020).

Second, the ritual of slaughtering sacrificial animals, according to Hujjatul Islam Imam al-Ghazali, symbolizes the slaughter of human’s animal nature. As scientists have well learned, humans are world champions when it comes to cooperation outside of blood relations, in contrast to animals, which can only cooperate with relatives.

However, from time to time, animal nature still appears in the form of selfishness that is only concerned with self, group or class. Therefore, sacrifice as a kind of step to disable animal behavior should strengthen sensitivity and social responsibility in order to create solidarity and cooperation.

By setting aside some property for sacrifice, it is hoped that a sense of community will grow. And what is more important than that is to suppress personal interests, considering that during the COVID-19 pandemic, “nothing is safe until we are all safe”.

Our family will not be safe while there are neighbors who are struggling due to various restrictions. One area that a month ago seemed to be able to control the level of infection could suddenly be in danger of collapsing and require assistance from other regions. Rich countries cannot selfishly secure vaccine supplies only for their people while other countries lack them.

It is not possible to predict with certainty when this pandemic will end. However, we believe, by working together and helping each other regardless of religious background, ethnicity, race, skin color or class, we will survive and be able to get out of this crisis. Are we ready?

DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI

Robikin Emhas

Robikin Emhas, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama.

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).