Monday, 03 August 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – A sacrificial animal can be brought down within seconds. Yet a true leader who is genuinely willing to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of the people is far more difficult to find than speeches about devotion that are repeated in every political season.
Eid al-Adha as a Mirror of Leadership and the Question of SacrificeThe celebration of Eid al-Adha always arrives with a familiar atmosphere: the sound of takbir, crowded mosque courtyards, the flowing blood of sacrificial animals on the ground, and the smiles of people receiving meat in simple plastic bags. Yet behind these rituals lies a profound and unsettling question: do those in power also make sacrifices, or are the people themselves repeatedly sacrificed to preserve that power?
Read Also:This question is not merely emotional. It touches the deepest core of the modern leadership crisis. The story of Prophet Ibrahim in the Qur'an is not only a spiritual account of obedience to God, but also a moral foundation on the meaning of sacrifice in leadership. Allah describes this event in Surah As-Saffat (37:107): "And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice."
What was truly tested was not just the willingness to sacrifice, but the willingness to let go of what is most beloved. Ibrahim was not asked to give up something insignificant. He was asked to offer Ismail, his son born after long waiting—a hope born in old age, the deepest love of a father.
From this emerges a key lesson: true leadership requires the ability to relinquish personal interests for higher values. The greatest problem in the modern world is the loss of this logic of sacrifice in power. Offices are often seen as privileges for enjoyment rather than responsibilities for public burden. Politics becomes a field of interest accumulation, while sacrifice is reduced to rhetoric.The Crisis of Modern Power and the Loss of Moral Sacrifice
Read Also:James MacGregor Burns (1978) explains that transformational leadership is driven by moral vision and collective dedication, not mere transactional exchange. Such leaders are willing to give up personal gain for broader social change. However, Burns also warns about transactional leadership—where power is treated as a bargain of gain and loss.
This phenomenon is closely reflected in today's political reality. Many leaders appear humble in public while maintaining luxury behind the scenes. Elites often speak about public suffering while enjoying privileges far beyond ordinary people's imagination. Sacrifice has become mere rhetorical decoration.
Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey (2001), through the concept of "Immunity to Change," explain that individuals often develop psychological mechanisms that unconsciously protect their comfort. A leader may speak extensively about reform and devotion while simultaneously avoiding any loss of privilege. This creates a paradox of modern power: sacrifice is loudly spoken, but rarely practiced.The Qur'an addresses this in Surah Al-'Alaq (96:6–7): "Indeed, man transgresses, because he sees himself as self-sufficient."
Read Also:Ethical Leadership as a Return to True Sacrifice
When leaders remain too long in comfort, their social sensitivity gradually fades. Rising food prices no longer feel urgent. Overcrowded hospitals no longer cause concern. Poverty becomes just statistics in reports. People are perceived at a distance, while power and luxury grow closer.
At this point, leadership loses its humanity. Robert Greenleaf (1977), through the concept of "Servant Leadership," emphasizes a fundamental idea: a true leader first asks what they can sacrifice for society, not what they can gain from office.Islamic history provides a concrete example in the leadership of Umar ibn Khattab, known for his simple lifestyle despite ruling a vast and prosperous empire. While parts of the population still lived in hardship, he rejected excessive luxury. Power was understood not as privilege, but as responsibility before Allah and history.
Read Also:Thomas Sergiovanni (1992) calls this "moral authority"—authority that arises from the alignment of values and actions. People trust not just words, but examples. When leaders reduce privileges in crises, refuse corruption, or make decisions that may disadvantage their group but benefit society, public trust grows.
Conversely, when leadership speaks of sacrifice while displaying luxury, moral legitimacy erodes from within. The Qur'an captures this meaning in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:207): "And among the people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of Allah."
This verse sets a high standard for leadership: a leader should be willing to sacrifice personal comfort, not sacrifice the people for the sake of comfort. Eid al-Adha becomes a moment of reflection for those in power—the symbolic knife is not only for animals, but for ego, greed, and ambition.Warren Bennis (1989) emphasizes that leadership is formed through difficult decisions: sacrificing popularity for honesty, comfort for justice, and personal interest for the public good. Without the willingness to lose, leadership becomes only a mask of power.
Read Also:Surah Al-Hajj (22:37) states: "Their meat and blood do not reach Allah, but your piety reaches Him." The essence of sacrifice is not its outward form, but sincerity and moral courage. (IDNC)
By Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.Hum
Founder of Ethics of Care, member of the Judicial Commission (2015–2020), and lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU)Read Also:
/home/u7391150/public_html/indatanews.com/theme/function.php on line 28