Prabowo Says Leadership Is Destiny at Nuzulul Quran Event

March 11, 2026 | 11:32 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said leadership is a matter of destiny and that political power ultimately comes from God, remarks he delivered during a national commemoration of Nuzulul Quran at the State Palace in Jakarta.

Prabowo made the statement after listening to a religious lecture and prayer from prominent Indonesian Muslim scholar Quraish Shihab during the event marking the revelation of the Quran in the Islamic calendar year 1447 Hijri, corresponding to 2026.

“The more I realize that leadership is destiny and that power comes from the Almighty, and that power is given as a mandate to uphold truth, justice, and honesty,” Prabowo said at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday night, March 10, 2026.

According to Prabowo, authority should be understood as a responsibility to protect the people and promote prosperity and justice.

He also thanked Quraish Shihab for delivering the lecture at the gathering, saying the message offered meaningful reflections on fundamental values such as peace and harmony.

“The meaning of peace and tranquility reminds us that differences should not lead to division,” Prabowo said.

During his sermon, Quraish Shihab spoke about the concept of power and shared a story about one of his former teachers in Egypt, renowned Islamic scholar Muhammad Metwally Al-Sha'rawi.

Quraish said his teacher once offered a prayer for Egypt’s president that began with the phrase, “Power comes from God.”

“He once prayed for the president of Egypt, beginning with the words: ‘Power comes from God,’” Quraish said toward the end of his lecture.

In the prayer, Al-Sha'rawi emphasized that no one receives authority except by God’s will, regardless of whether a leader governs faithfully or acts unjustly.

“Whether a ruler follows God’s guidance or disobeys it, all power ultimately comes from God,” Quraish said, recounting his teacher’s message.

Quraish then echoed a similar prayer for Prabowo, expressing hope that if God has destined him as Indonesia’s leader, the public would support him in carrying out his responsibilities.

Sultan Abdurrahman contributed to the writing of this article.

Read: Quraish Shihab to Prabowo: 'Power Comes from God'

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