The more fortunate ones, some 100,000 or so Indonesians, will mark the festival performing the haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Others celebrate it at home, with mass prayers in the morning, and later, slaughtering cattle or goats, in a symbolic act of sacrifice.

A slight twist this time is that there are likely to be fewer cattle to slaughter because of the spread of foot and mouth disease in parts of the country. One sign of a return to normalcy is that Indonesian Muslims are once again divided on celebrating Idul Adha, a recurring split that makes Muslims in the country feel and look like they are not as united as they could be.

Because of different interpretations of the Islamic lunar calendar, Muhammadiyah decided Idul Adha falls on Saturday while Nadhlatul Ulama and the government say it falls on Sunday. This may seem petty, but the nation should be thankful that Indonesia’s two largest Muslim mass organizations are not fighting over more fundamental matters of faith that could polarize the nation.

Idul Adha is an auspicious day for the nation, not just Muslims, to recall the meaning of sacrifice, and why we individually as well as collectively need to do more of it. The concept is recognized in almost every faith. The rites may differ, but the intent is the same, that we make sacrifices for the common good.

One thing that we need to ask ourselves as we celebrate the Day of Sacrifice is whether we, individually or collectively, make enough sacrifices? Have we been able to move beyond the symbolism, and live up to the spirit of sacrifice every single day of the year?

As related in the Quran, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was ordered by God to slaughter his son Ismail. Eventually, a lamb took Ismail’s place when the slaughter was about to take place.

Today, Muslims on Idul Adha take their cue from this simple story to slaughter cattle and then share the meat with the poor. That is the social aspect of the sacrifice. The more individual aspect, as the story of Ibrahim tells us, is that one must be prepared to sacrifice one’s most treasured possession, and that one must always be prepared to submit to the will of God as Ibrahim did.

Indonesia, like the rest of the world, is struggling to come out of the economic recession post-pandemic. The Ukraine war, the soaring energy and food prices are creating complications in this recovery. That path will not be smooth, and the pace may be not the same for everyone. At times like this, making personal sacrifices has never been more important for the unity of the nation.

Let us keep the spirit of sacrifice alive throughout the year, for the good of the nation and society, if not for the good of our individual selves.