Idul Adha Amid Pandemic

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A number of sacrificial cows at the Amanah Depot in Cilendek, Bogor City, West Java, Sunday (18/7/2021). This livestock trader serves orders through online services, making it easier to order during the pandemic.

Muslims will celebrate Idul Adha 1442 Hijri on Tuesday amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and are, thus, recommended to pray at home.

The atmosphere of Idul Adha this time around is different from that of last year when the pandemic began to spread. Last year, Idul Adha prayers were still permitted in COVID-19 “green zones” with strict health protocols. This year, the Religious Affairs Ministry has banned mass prayers in public places, in line with prevailing emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat). The new wave of SARS-CoV-2 has yet to show signs of abating. Transmission in 2021 has been faster and may cause more severe symptoms with the presence of the Delta variant.

Also read:

> Converting Sacrifice Amid Pandemic

> Idul Adha a Moment for Sharing Goodness

Idul Adha comprises two particular rituals, namely qurban (animal sacrifice) and haj pilgrimage. The animal sacrifice is related to God’s command to Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ismail. God, however, replaced Ismail with a goat. Meanwhile, the pilgrimage is mandatory for Muslims with capable souls and bodies to visit the sacred Kaaba in Mecca and Arafah field. Both rituals teach the same wisdom, namely patience, tawakal (wholehearted surrender to God\'s will) and obedience to God.

The spread of the coronavirus is currently in critical condition, as infections are still increasing in high numbers. On Sunday (18/7/2021), 1,093 people died of COVID-19. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and many of them are not receiving treatment. Lack of oxygen exacerbated the condition of those who are forced to stay at home because they are not accommodated by hospitals.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Sale of sacrificial animals at the Amanah Depot in Cilendek, Bogor City, West Java, Sunday (18/7/2021).

The pandemic has made it difficult for many people to continue living a decent life. The poor has increasing in number. PPKM Darurat, which may be extended if transmission cannot be controlled, adds to the economic hardships of the poor.

Animal sacrifice is a highly recommended sunnah (the Prophet\'s recommendations), meaning that the ritual is highly recommended for Muslims who have the ability to do so. The ritual teaches the spirit of sharing with those in need, in the form of distributing the meat from the slaughtered animals.

Also read:

> Day of Sacrifice in the Middle of Epidemic

> Idul Adha with Health Protocols

Amid the current pandemic, Idul Adha provides an opportunity for Muslims to interpret the meaning of sacrifice. Each of us can interpret Idul Adha as a spirit of sacrifice and patients through, for instance, staying at home.

We sacrifice face-to-face meetings with families and friends. We refrain from holding mass Idul Adha prayers in public places. We patiently refrain from traveling to our hometowns or out of town. Our sacrifices are for the greater good, namely to prevent our families, the people around us and the wider community from contracting COVID-19. In the current alarming COVID-19 condition, this sacrifice does not reduce the meaning of our Idul Adha rituals.

This article was translated by Camilia Adianti.