Interfaith Marriage Between Muslims and Female Ahlul-Kitāb: MUI Fatwa and Preservation of the Shāfiʿi Madhab In Indonesia

Mariati Aprilia Harahap

doi:10.22373/ujhk.v8i2.27176

Authors

Mariati Aprilia Harahap Indonesian International Islamic University (IIIU), Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v8i2.27176

Keywords:

ahlul-kitāb, interfaith marriage, fatwa MUI, Shāfiʿi madhab

Abstract

The study investigates the rulings of Shāfiʿi’s madhab, which suggests a strict rule regarding the permissibility of interreligious marriage between a Muslim and a female ahl-kitāb, in contrast to other Imam madhabs that do not prohibit such marriages. However, Indonesians who embraced most of Shāfiʿi’s madhab forbade this marriage through an issued fatwa by the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI). Despite extensive research on its arguments due to the historical roots of Shāfiʿi’s madhab ruling on connectivity, it is more concerned with the virtue and balance in society. This paper aims to analyze the prohibition of interfaith marriage between Muslims and female ahl-kitāb in Indonesia as a change in discourse that reinforces devotion to the Shāfiʿi madhab, which has historical roots connected to its rulings. This paper uses the qualitative method by comprehending classical Islamic law perspectives, the fatwa driven by the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), and the historical trajectory of Imam Shāfiʿi schools in the early Indonesian era through textual analysis. The result found that the fiqh rulings “attracting benefits and preventing damage” held strongly by Majelis Ulama were not a clear affirmation of prohibiting marriage between Muslims and the female scriptures. Key findings indicate that the MUI released its prohibited fatwa on such marriage as a form-changing discourse to justify the continuation of the Shāfiʿi school of thought traditionally rooted in Indonesia to maintain the virtue and balance work in society. Future research should consider the increased case of interfaith marriages between female Muslims and non-Muslim males due to its relevancy, according to Fiqh al-Wāqi.

References

Journals and Books

Abdulgani, Roeslan. “The Dynamics of Islam in Indonesia in the Rise of the Islamic World of Today.” Studia Diplomatica 33, no. 6 (1980).

Abou El Fadl, Khaled, Ahmad Atif Ahmad, and Said Fares Hassan. Routledge Handbook of Islamic Law. Edited by Khaled Abou El Fadl, Ahmad Atif Ahmad, and Said Fares Hassan. Routledge, 2019.

Aditya, Mochammad Rizky Eka, Dinda Khoirunnisa, Fawwas Fawwas, Ajid Qiston, and Asiyah Zarah Azizah. “The Problem of Interfaith Marriage in Indonesia: A Juridical-Normative Approach.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 6, no. No. 2 (2023).

Akmal, Andi Muhammad, Chaerul Mundzir, Mulham Jaki Asti, Rahmawati Abbas, and Zulhas’ari Mustafa. “Legal Solutions for Domestic Violence in Unregistered Marriages in Indonesia: Integrating Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 7, no. 2 (2024): 768. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v7i2.25971.

Al-Ḥafīd, Ibnu Rushd. Bidāya Al-Mujtahid Wa Nihāya Al-Muqtaṣid. Vol. 1. Dār Al-Kutub Al-Islaāmiya, n.d.

Ali, Mohammed and Muhiyaddin. A Comparative Study of the Religions of Today. Vantage Press, 1985.

Al-Mālikī, Khalīl ibn Isḥāq. Mukhtaṣar Khalīl: Fī Fiqh Imām Dār al-Hijra al-Imām Mālik Bin Anas Raḍiyallahu ʿanh. 2nd ed. Edited by Ṭāhir Aḥmad Az-Zāwīy. Dār al-Madāril al-Islāmīy, 2004.

Al-Shafi’i, Abu Abdullah (150-204 AH) Muhammad bin Idris. Al-Umm (The Mother). 2nd ed. Dār al-Fikr, 1983.

Aminah, Siti, and Arif Sugitanata. “Genealogy and Reform of Islamic Family Law: Study of Islamic Marriage Law Products in Malaysia.” JIL: Journal of Islamic Law 3, no. 1 (2022): 94–110. https://doi.org/10.24260/jil.v3i1.556.

Anwar, Syaiful, and Muhammad Yunus. “Perkawinan Beda Agama Antar Warga Negara Indonesia Di Indonesia Sebagai Diplomasi.” Edited by Ngimadudin, Takdir Alisyahbana, Taufik Mukmin, Zainal Azman, Supriadi, and Yesi Yesi Arikarani. Kampus A STAI Bumi Silampari, 2020. https://doi.org/10.37092/prosidingisid.v1i1.181%20%7C.

Arifin, Zainal. “Perkawinan Beda Agama (Interfaith Marriage).” Jurnal Lentera: Kajian Keagamaan, Keilmuan Dan Teknologi 17, no. No 1 (2018).

Arrafii, Muhammad. “A Study of Fatwa-Making: Indonesian Ulama Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, MUI) and Classical Islamic Discourse on Interfaith Marriages.” Thesis, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), 2023.

Asy-Syirbīnī, Syamsuddin Muhammad ibn al-Khāṭib. Mughnī Al-Muḥtāj. Vol. 3. Dārul-Maʿrifa, 1995.

Edi Gunawan, Budi Rahmat Hakim, Reza Adeputra Tohis, and Imam Mash’ud. “Interfaith Marriage of North Sulawesi Multicultural Community in Minority Fiqh Perspective.” AL-IHKAM: Jurnal Hukum & Pranata Sosial 19, no. 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.19105/al-lhkam.v19i2.8072.

Eka Aditya, Mochammad Rizky, Dinda Khoirunnisa, Fawwas Fawwas, Ajid Qiston, and Aisyah Zarah Azizah. “The Problem of Interfaith Marriage in Indonesia: A Juridical-Normative Approach.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 6, no. 2 (2023): 456. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v6i2.20059.

Fauzi, Ahmad, Kemas Muhammad Gemilang, Darmawan Tia Indrajaya, and Uin Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau. “Analisis Nikah Beda Agama Dalam Perspektif Maqashid Syari’ah.” Madania Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Keislaman 13, no. 1 (2023): 74–86.

Hadi, Abdul. “Fiqih Mazhab Syafi’i Dalam Peraturan Perundang-Undangan Tentang Perkawinan Di Indonesia, Brunei, Dan Malaysia (1971-1991).” PhD Thesis, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga, 2001.

Hadi, Abdul, and Shofyan Hasan. “Pengaruh Hukum Islam Dalam Pengembangan Hukum Di Indonesia.” Nurani 15, no. 2 (2015): 89. https://doi.org/10.19109/nurani.v15i2.284.

Hamka. Studi Islam. First. Edited by Mardiati. Gema Insani Press, 2020.

Ibnudin, Ibnudin, Sugianto Sugianto, Achmad Kholiq, Abdul Aziz, Ahmad Yani, and Hariyanto. “Reconstruction Interfaith Marriage Law In Indonesia: Relevance of Sociology Knowledge and Maqasid Sharia.” Al-Risalah Forum Kajian Hukum dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan 25, no. No.1 (2025): 70–86. https://doi.org/10.30631/alrisalah.v25i1.1819.

Keener, R. Michael. “Indonesian Movements for the Creation of a ‘National Madhhab.’” Brill 9, no. 1 (2002).

Marakeby, Muhammad al-. “Regrounding Maqāṣid Al-Sharīʿa, the Quranic Semantics and Foundation of Human Common Good, Written by Mohamed El-Tahir El-Mesawi.” Journal of Islamic Ethics, January 15, 2025, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1163/24685542-20240016.

Marghinani, Ali bin Abi Bakr bin Abdul Jalil al-. Al-Hidāya Fī Sharh Bidāyat al-Mubtadī. Edited by Talal Youssef. Dār Iḥyāˈut Turāth al-ʿAraby, 1431.

Mat Hussin, Mohd Norhusairi, Nur Haleemah Binte Salihudin, Siti Aisyah Samudin, Risma Nur Arifah, Norazlina Abdul Aziz, and Zunairah Malee. “Interfaith Marriage Among Muslims in Singapore.” Al-’Adalah 22, no. 1 (2025): 1–28. https://doi.org/10.24042/adalah.v22i1.23667.

Maula, Bani Syarif, and Ilyya Muhsin. “Interfaith Marriage and the Religion–State Relationship: Debates between Human Rights Basis and Religious Precepts.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 8, no. 2 (2024): 791. https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v8i2.19479.

Meirison, Meirison, Desmadi Saharuddin, and Husnul Fatarib. “The Dynamics of Islamic Jurisprudence in The Eyes of Contemporary Muslims.” El-Mashlahah 12, no. 1 (2022): 70–83. https://doi.org/10.23971/elma.v12i1.3939.

Miqat, Nurul, Handar Subhandi Bakhtiar, Safrin Salam, Kunthi Tridewiyanti, and Kayode Muhammed Ibrahim. “The Development of Indonesian Marriage Law in Contemporary Era.” De Jure: Jurnal Hukum Dan Syar’iah 15, no. 1 (2023): 54–66. https://doi.org/10.18860/j-fsh.v15i1.17461.

Misbah, and Abu Faiq. Imam Asy-Syafi’i Al-Umm. Pustaka Azzam, 2014.

Muhammad ’Uwaidah, Kamil. Fiqh Wanita Edisi Lengkap. Edisi Indonesia. Pustaka Al-Kautsar, 2003.

Mutaqin, Zezen Zaenal. “Culture, Islamic Feminism, and the Quest for Legal Reform in Indonesia.” Asian Journal of Women’s Studies 24, no. 4 (2018): 423–45. https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2018.1524549.

Oxtoby, William G., Roy C. Amore, Amir Hussain, and Alan F. Segal. A Concise Introduction to World Religions. Third. Edited by William G. Oxtoby, Roy C. Amore, Amir Hussain, and Alan F. Segal. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Qudāma, Ibnu. Al-Mughnī. Edited by ʿAbdullah ʿAbdul Muhsin At-Turkī and ʿAbdul Fattah Muhammad al-Hulwi. Vol. 3. Dār ˈᾹlimil Kutubi liṭ-Ṭabāˈa wa-an-Nasyr wa at-Tauzīʿ, 1997.

Rohayana, Ade Dedi. Ilmu Qawa’id Fiqhiyyah: Kaidah-Kaidah Hukum Islam. Gaya Media Pratama, 2008.

Sābiq, Sayyid. Fiqhus-Sunnah. Nizāmul usrah-al Ḥudūd wal-Jināyāt. Vol. 2. Dār al-Fikr, 1995.

Shihab, M. Quraish. Islam & Kebangsaan: Tauhid, Kemanusiaan, Dan Kewarganegaraan. Edited by Mohamad Fauzi. Lentera Hati, 2020.

Suryanegara, Ahmad Mansur. Api Sejarah (Historical Fire): Mahakarya Perjuangan Ulama Dan Santri Dalam Menegakkan Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia. Edisi Revisi. Edited by Nia Kurniawati. Vol. 1. Penerbit Surya Dinasti, 2015.

Tengku Kasim, Tengku Sarina Aini Binti, Siti Falihah Binti Yaakob, and Nor Fahimah Binti Mohd Razif. “Family Influence on Female’s Blood Education in the Context of Islamic Practice in Malaysia.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 7, no. 2 (2024): 623. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v7i2.26252.

Wirastri, Theresia Dyah, and Stijn Cornelis Van Huis. “The State of Indonesia’s Marriage Law: 50 Years of Statutory and Judicial Reforms.” AHKAM : Jurnal Ilmu Syariah 24, no. 2 (2024): 215–32. https://doi.org/10.15408/ajis.v24i2.38424.