When met after the Eid al-Adha prayer for 1447 Hijri at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Wednesday, Umar emphasized that a servant's obedience to God is not only measured through worship rituals, but must also be manifested in actions to improve the environment.
"A pious person is not only measured by obedience, but it must be delivered in the form of environment improvement. We cannot be perfect as servants if our environment is damaged," he remarked.
Umar, who is also the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, explained that humans on earth have two primary roles: as servants (abid) and leaders (khalifah), neither of which will function optimally without the support of a healthy natural environment.
He then drew attention on the importance of maintaining three dimensions of relationships in a balanced way, including the relationship between humans and God (hablum minallah), relationships between humans (hablum minannas), and relationships between humans and nature and living creatures (hablum ma'al makhluqat).
These environmental messages were some of the main points in the Eid al-Adha sermon entitled "Strengthening the Spirit of Sacrifice, Caring for Nature and Humanity," delivered by Hamdan Juhannis, Rector of the State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin Makassar, as the preacher for the Eid al-Adha prayer at Istiqlal.
The ecotheological messages delivered by the preacher were considered relevant in encouraging society to no longer see the universe as merely an object to be exploited, but also as a subject of life.
"How can we pray devoutly in the midst of a flood? Therefore, nature should not only be seen as an object, but also as both a subject and an object. Without the universe, we cannot become fully ideal human beings," Minister Umar reminded.
He added that he would produce more copies of the sermon manuscript, as many ministers and public figures wished to reread it for study, while the previous copies had been printed in limited quantities.
Related news: Minister calls for strengthening solidarity, tolerance in Eid al-Adha
Related news: Indonesian president donates 1,098 cattle for Eid al-Adha
Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
