The Path of the Prophet, Qurban Meaning in Paying Taxes for Welfare

By: Halfi Desfarizly, a Directorate General of Taxes officer

Once upon a time, in a desert which is now known as the holy land of Mecca, there lived a great man who was known for his obedience and sacrifice. Prophet Ibrahim PBUH, a very faithful and obedient servant of God, received an extraordinary order from God himself, namely to sacrifice the son he loved so much, Prophet Ismail PBUH.

Prophet Ibrahim received this command through repeated dreams. Even though it is very difficult and does not make sense for most people, he understands that this is a test from God. With a heavy heart, yet still in pain, he decided to carry out this order. Ibrahim then spoke to his son, Ismail, who was still very young at that time. "O my son," said Ibrahim, "I saw in a dream that I was slaughtering you. So tell me what do you think?"

Ismail, who had been raised with strong faith, answered calmly, "O my father, do what you are commanded; God willing, you will find me among those who are patient." (Q.S. Assaffat: 107)

On the appointed day, with full submission and obedience, Ibrahim took Ismail to the place that had been indicated by God. When Ibrahim was about to slaughter Ismail, God replaced Ismail with a lamb, as a sign that Ibrahim's sacrifice and obedience had been accepted. This event is immortalized in the Qur’an and is the basis for Muslims to carry out sacrificial worship every year on Eid al-Adha.

Qurban is one of the commandments of God taught to Muslims. This commandment comes from the story of this extraordinary sacrifice. The command to sacrifice is clearly stated in the Qur'an, especially in Surah Al-Hajj verse 34 which reads, "And for each community We have prescribed qurban (sacrifice), so that they mention the name of God on the livestock that God has provided for them."

The meaning of qurban is more than just slaughtering animals. It symbolizes obedience, submission and gratitude to God for all the blessings that have been given to us. Apart from that, qurban also aims to strengthen ties between humans by distributing the food to those in need. This reflects the social and humanitarian aspects of Islam, where people are encouraged to care and share with others.

The concept of sacrifice in Islam is not only limited to rituals of worship such as qurban, but can also be applied in everyday life, including in the context of financial contributions to society through taxes. Taxes are a form of citizen contribution to support development and general welfare. Similar to qurban, paying taxes can also be seen as a form of sacrifice for the common good. Among the advantages of paying taxes include:

1. modern forms of qurban: paying taxes can be seen as a form of modern urban where each individual contributes to the progress and welfare of society at large. Tax money is used to finance various public facilities such as education, health, infrastructure and other social programs;
2. solidarity and social justice: paying taxes reflects the spirit of solidarity and social justice. By paying taxes, we help those less fortunate gain access to a good basic services; and
3. building a strong country: taxes paid by citizens help build a strong and independent country. This reflects the spirit of togetherness and collective responsibility in building a better country.

Let's follow the path of Prophet Ibrahim PBUH as an inspiration to carry out our obligations as a good citizens by paying and reporting taxes sincerely with a sense of responsibility. Remember that every rupiah we spend will help build roads, schools, hospitals and various other public services and facilities that benefit all of us.

Just as Prophet Ibrahim PBUH showed extraordinary obedience and sincerity, we can also show that we care with our nation through our tax contribution. That way, not only we follow the example of the Prophet, but also contribute to the progress and welfare of our society. Let's make every sacrifice we make meaningful, whether in the form of sacrificial worship or the obligation to contribute to our country development by paying and reporting taxes.

*) This article is the author's personal opinion and does not reflect the attitude of the agency where the author works.

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