How the US-Iran Conflict Defies the Sacred Months and Threatens Earth
Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil M.Ag.
Professor at UIN Jakarta
As the global Muslim community observes the sacred rites of Eid al-Adha and the Hajj pilgrimage, the explosive conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains trapped in a dangerous gridlock. The war, which erupted on February 28, 2026, has defied Western intelligence estimates. What Washington expected to be a swift shock-and-away campaign, reminiscent of its historic operations in Iraq or the 2.5-hour blitz against Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, has transformed into a war of attrition.
The battle lines have revealed a stark reality: Iran's indigenous technological leap. Defying decades of crippling sanctions, Tehran has launched domestic ballistic and cruise missiles with an operational reach of up to 1,760 kilometers, carrying payloads of 750 kilograms. As global observers fret over unverified anxieties regarding Iran's potential deployment of nuclear-capable payloads, Washington’s demands have pivoted from diplomatic invitations to aggressive ultimatums. The White House insists on an unconditional halt to Iran's uranium enrichment, coupled with unrestricted, unilateral inspections and the permanent lifting of Iran's blockade on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The economic fallout of this geopolitical stalemate is staggering. Tehran estimates its infrastructure damage at $270 billion USD—far eclipsing the entire national budget of developing powerhouses like Indonesia. Meanwhile, Washington has bled $40 to $50 billion USD, losing 42 aircraft and suffering extensive damage to its regional military outposts, while global markets have taken a staggering $26 billion USD hit.
Hajj, Humanism, and the Hypocrisy of the Global Order
The tragedy of the US-Iran war is its direct violation of the sacred Islamic window of Ashhur al-Hurum (The Sacred Months). Embedded deeply within Islamic theology and dating back even to pre-Islamic Arabian consensus, the consecutive months of Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram constitute a mandatory ceasefire. This temporal sanctuary was designed to allow pilgrims from all corners of the world to journey to Makkah in absolute peace.
Yet, under the shadow of modern warfare, the global order has chosen to ignore the spiritual ceasefire. At its core, the current standoff highlights the selective justice of the West. During a historic visit to UIN Jakarta, Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad famously crystallized this double standard, asking why Western powers hold a monopoly on nuclear technology while demonizing developing sovereign states for exploring the same frontiers. Within Iran's Shia political theology, resisting oppression and demanding structural justice is not merely a foreign policy directive; it is an foundational article of faith.
The cost of ignoring this ethical framework is terrifyingly documented by history. When a nation is subjected to sustained warfare, the trajectory points directly to a structural collapse. Yemen, following the aftermath of the 2012 Arab Spring, became a dark monument to this failure. By 2019, the United Nations declared Yemen the world’s most acute humanitarian crisis, with 85% of its population of 24 million people dependent on aid. By 2020, Yemen ranked at the absolute apex of the Failed States Index, surpassed only by the Central African Republic in the Global Hunger Index. If Washington and Tehran pull the nuclear trigger, the devastation will not be localized; it will spell a systemic apocalypse for human and ecological life, directly contradicting the core tenets of Wukuuf at Arafat as the universal gathering of humanity.
The Micro-Economics of Conflict: From the Strait of Hormuz to the Street Corner
Warfare in the Persian Gulf travels swiftly down the global supply chain, manifesting in the most mundane corners of daily life. The disruption of shipping lanes has choked the supply of petrochemical precursors from the Middle East, sparking a global spike in plastic prices.
Because modern society has become an inherently "plastic civilization," consumers in distant developing nations are footing the bill for Washington's geopolitical maneuvers. In Indonesia, local working-class staples are feeling the squeeze: a signature cup of Kopi Tuku has crept from IDR 23,000 to IDR 25,000, while everyday meals at street-side Wartegs have jumped by IDR 2,000 per package due to wrapping costs. The e-commerce sector has been hit even harder, as the price of essential packaging materials like bubble wrap has skyrocketed.
Ecological Jihad: The Hajj as an Environmental Sanctuary
Ironically, the Hajj serves as the ultimate philosophical antidote to this plastic-laden, destructive world. Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) explicitly dictates that during Hajj, and within the sacred boundary of Makkah (Al-Haram), a believer is strictly forbidden from hunting wildlife, uprooting wild plants, or even cutting grass. The hallmark of a Hajj Mabrur (an accepted pilgrimage) is the absolute preservation of life, ensuring that one’s livelihood and journey do not inflict harm on any living creature.
The current plastic crisis should serve as a catalyst for a global "ecological jihad"—a systemic pivot away from synthetic polymers toward sustainable alternatives. The solution lies in indigenous innovation: bio-cassava bags derived from tapioca starch and vegetable oils, woven cloth nets, recycled paper packaging, stainless steel, glass containers, and cornstarch-based bioplastics. As the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei once noted, "Our foreign policy is based on justice, not aggression." For a nation whose cultural pride is anchored in Firdausi’s Shahnameh (The Epic of Kings, d. 1026)—a monumental epos celebrating thousands of years of Persian resistance and sovereignty—surrender under economic blackmail is not an option.
The Lesson of the Farewell Sermon
During his historic Farewell Sermon (Khotbah Hajj Wada') at the plains of Arafat, Prophet Muhammad laid down the immutable charter of universal human rights. He explicitly declared that a human's blood (ad-dima'), property (al-amwal), and dignity (al-a'radh) are sacred and inviolable.
The US-Iran war is a direct assault on this charter, vaporizing human lives, destroying generational wealth, and dismantling the educational and spiritual structures of millions. War feeds the untamed arrogance of the human ego, running completely counter to the humility of the Talbiyah chant, which demands submission to the Divine alone.
The architects of war in Washington and Tehran must remember the math of previous global conflagrations. In World War I, despite using rudimentary machine guns and primitive tanks without a single nuclear option, the victorious British Empire lost over one million citizens and soldiers by 1918. In World War II, the Soviet Union paid a devastating price of 27 million lives. In 2026, with thermonuclear options on the table, the equation is simple: there are no winners in a broken world. The international community must force a de-escalation, reminding both empires that true power lies not in the capacity to destroy the earth, but in the humility to preserve it.
This article was published in Republika on Tuesday, May 27th 2026. Photo: Shutterstock.