Integration of Islamic Law Principles in Overcoming Failure: Mediate Family Cases in The North Sulawesi Religious Court

Nurlaila Harun; Nasruddin  Yusuf; Henky Fernando; Yuniar Galuh Larasati

doi:10.22373/ujhk.v9i1.34080

Authors

Nurlaila Harun Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8467-2263
Nasruddin Yusuf Institut Agama Islam Negeri Manado, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0480-704X
Henky Fernando Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4859-9599
Yuniar Galuh Larasati Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0267-0193

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v9i1.34080

Keywords:

Mediation Failure, Islamic Law, Family, North Sulawesi Religious Courts

Abstract

This study examines the failure of mediation in family cases at the North Sulawesi Religious Court and emphasizes the importance of integrating Islamic legal principles to address these issues. Although many studies have addressed mediation failures, this study offers a more in-depth perspective by highlighting how the dominance of legal formalities often ignores the substance of peaceful dispute resolution. Through a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews are conducted with judges, mediators, and parties involved in the mediation process. Thematic analysis is then used to identify patterns and themes from the collected data. The study results show that one of the leading causes of mediation failure is the lack of application of Islamic legal principles, such as the activeness of mediator judges in promoting peace. In addition, local wisdom ('urf) that is supposed to strengthen mediation is often overlooked, which reduces the effectiveness of the mediation process. The success of mediation, if it occurs, is more often determined by external pressures, such as family pressures, than by the mediation itself. Therefore, this study emphasizes the need for stronger integration between Islamic legal principles and mediation approaches in Religious Courts to achieve fairer, more peaceful dispute resolution for all parties.

References

Journals and Books

Al-Subky, Tāj al-Dīn. Al-Asybah Wa Al-Naẓāir. Bayrūt: Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1991.

Allan, Stitt. Mediation A Practical Guide. New York: Canvendish Routledge, 2004.

Amarini, Indriati, Noorfajri Ismail, Yusuf Saefudin, Zeehan Fuad Attamimi, and Astika Nurul Hidayah. “Exploring the Effectiveness of Mediation in Resolving Disputes in the Indonesian Administrative Court.” Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies 9, no. 1 (2024). https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.vol9i1.4632.

Amin, Sayuthi M., Lukman Hakim, Khairuddin Hasballah, Khairani, and Riza Afrian Mustaqim. “Resolving Inheritance Conflicts and Their Legal Repercussions in Aceh: A Sociological and Anthropological Look at Peace Initiatives Using Customary Courts.” El-Usrah 8, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.22373/akx7xp17.

An-Na’im, Abdullahi Ahmed. Islam and the Secular State: Negotiating the Future of Shari‘A. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008.

Anisa, Lina Nur. “The Psychological Well-Being in Building Resilience of Indonesian Muslim Families: A Study of Hussein Muhammad’s Thought.” De Jure: Jurnal Hukum Dan Syar’iah 15, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.18860/j-fsh.v15i1.22102.

Auda, Jasser. Maqasid Al-Shariah as Philosophy of Islamic Law: A Systems Approach. London: IIIT, 2008.

Barkah, Qodariah, Cholidi Cholidi, Siti Rochmiyatun, Sulikah Asmorowati, and Henky Fernando. “The Manipulation of Religion and The Legalization of Underage Marriages in Indonesia.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 7, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i1.13316.

Bowen, John R. Muslims through Discourse: Religion and Ritual in Gayo Society. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993.

Djawas, Mursyid, Ridhwan Ridhwan, Wardana Said, and Hedhri Nadhiran. “The Integration Between Syara’and Ade’in Marriage Tradition Bugis Bone, South Sulawesi.” AL-IHKAM: Jurnal Hukum & Pranata Sosial 18, no. 2 (2023).

Djawas, Mursyid, and Sri Astuti Abdul Samad. “Conflict, Traditional, and Family Resistance: The Pattern of Dispute Resolution in Acehnese Community According to Islamic Law.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 4, no. 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v4i1.5271.

Fernando, Henky, Yuniar Galuh Larasati, Irwan Abdullah, Vincamira Tasha Florika, and Cut Irna Liyana. “The Deconstruction of Women ’ s Values in # MeToo on Instagram.” Italian Sociologial Review 15, no. January (2025).

Field, Rachael, and Jonathan Crowe. Mediation Ethics: From Theory to Practice. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020.

Fikri, Fikri, Muhammad Ali Rusdi Bedong, Muhyiddin Salim, Salman Abdul Muthalib, and Ali Abubakar. “Transformation of Maqāṣid Shari‘āh in Divorce Mediation in Religious Courts: Revitalization of the Bugis-Mandar Customs, Indonesia.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 7, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i1.9141.

Fitriyati, Yusida, Duski Ibrahim, Firman Muntaqo, and KN Shofyan Hasan. “Reconsidering Inheritance Equality: Gender Justice in Religious Court Decisions through the Lens of Maqashid Al-Shariah.” Nurani: Jurnal Kajian Syari’ah Dan Masyarakat 25, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.19109/nurani.v25i1.27133.

Harun, Nurlaila. “Proses Peradilan Dan Arti Sebuah Keyakinan Hakim Dalam Memutus Suatu Perkara Di Pengadilan Agama Manado.” Jurnal Ilmiah Al-Syir’ah 15, no. 2 (2017). https://doi.org/10.30984/as.v15i2.479.

Ismayawati, Any, Aristoni, and Syed Mohammad Chaedar. “Family Conflict Resolution through Mediation in Indonesia and Malaysia: A Sociological Study of Islamic Law.” Jurnal Hukum Islam 22, no. 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.28918/jhi.v22i2.8.

Kamaruddin, Iswandi, Andi Yaqub, Layyin Mahfiana, and Muh Akbar. “Justice, Mediation, and Kalosara Custom of the Tolaki Community in Southeast Sulawesi from the Perspective of Islamic Law.” Samarah 7, no. 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.13183.

Karmawan, Karmawan. “Mediation in the Religious Courts of Indonesia.” AHKAM : Jurnal Ilmu Syariah 20, no. 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.15408/ajis.v20i1.13249.

Kressel, Kenneth, and Dean G Pruitt. “Mediation Research: The Process and Effectiveness of Third-Party Intervention.” (No Title), 1989.

Larasati, Yuniar Galuh, Henky Fernando, Qodariah Barkah, Zaenuddin Hudi Prasojo, Atika, Romli SA, Ainul Masruroh, Suraya Sintang, and Leanne Morin. “Adolescent Forced Marriage and Community Misconduct: Rethinking Islamic Family Law.” Jurnal Ilmiah Al-Syir’ah 23, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.30984/jis.v23i1.3367.

Lukito, Ratno. “Religious ADR: Mediation in Islamic Family Law Tradition.” Al-Jami’ah: Journal of Islamic Studies 44, no. 2 (2006). https://doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2006.442.325-346.

Luney, Percy R. “Traditions and Foreign Influences: Systems of Law in China and Japan.” Law and Contemporary Problems 52, no. 2 (1989). https://doi.org/10.2307/1191940.

Matsyah, Ajidar, Mursyid Djawas, Umar bin Abdul Aziz, Dedy Sumardi, and Abidin Nurdin. “Cultural Continuity and Legal Adaptation: The Evolution of Suluh in Aceh’s Conflict Resolution System.” JURIS: Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah 1, no. 24 (2025). https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v24i1.13272.

Melenko, Oksana. “Mediation as an Alternative Form of Dispute Resolution: Comparative-Legal Analysis.” European Journal of Law and Public Administration 7, no. 2 (2021). https://doi.org/10.18662/eljpa/7.2/126.

Miles, Matthew B., and A. Michael Huberman. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. Edited by Johnny Saldana. 3rd ed. United State of America: SAGE Publications, 2014.

Muchimah, Jahar Asep Saepudin, Hamdani, and Fajarini Ulfah. “Legal Culture and the Dynamics of Religious Interaction in Ritual Practices among Interfaith Marriage.” Al-Manahij: Jurnal Kajian Hukum Islam 18, no. 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.24090/mnh.v18i2.11659.

R, Soeroso. Mediasi: Penyelesaian Sengketa Melalui Pendekatan Musyawarah. Jakarta: Sinar Grafika., 2011.

Ranjan, Sheetal. “Domestic Violence Legislation in Greece: Analysis of Penal Mediation.” Women and Criminal Justice 30, no. 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2019.1646192.

Rasyid, Arbanur, Rayendriani Fahmei Lubis, Muhammad Wandisyah R. Hutagalung, Maulana Arafat Lubis, Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor, and Afifah Vinandita. “Local Wisdom Recognition in Inter-Ethnic Religious Conflict Resolution in Indonesia from Islah Perspective.” JURIS (Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah) 22, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v22i1.8432.

Rismawati, Shinta Dewi, Isriani Hardini, Zaenal Mustakim, Rabiatul Adawiyah, and Sonezza Ladyanna. “Distorted Meanings, Misplaced Justice: A Socio-Legal Approach of the Delegitimization of Domestic Violence Law in Pekalongan, Indonesia.” Nurani: Jurnal Kajian Syari’ah Dan Masyarakat 25, no. 2 (2025).

Riyadi, Fuad, and Muhammad Nurul Huda. “Implementation Of Restorative Justice In Criminal Persecution Cases In The Jepara State Attorney From An Islamic Legal Perspective.” ICCoLaSS 1, no. 1 (2022).

Salsabila, Naila, and Usep Saepullah. “Peran Mediasi Dalam Upaya Rekonsiliasi Rumah Tangga Pada Pengadilan Agama Cianjur.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 5, no. 2 (2022). https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v5i2.14069.

Sebyar, Muhamad Hasan, Wahyu Abdul Jafar, Sumper Mulia Harahap, Dedisyah Putra, and Rahmad Efendi. “Divorce Mediation at Panyabungan Religious Court: Transforming the Desire for Divorce into Reconciliation through Cultural Values in Contemporary Islamic Jurisprudence.” Al-Manahij: Jurnal Kajian Hukum Islam 19, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.24090/mnh.v19i1.12255.

Sumardi, Dedy, Mansari Mansari, and Maulana Fickry Albaba. “Restoratif Justice, Diversi Dan Peradilan Anak Pasca Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Nomor 110/Puu-X/2012.” Legitimasi: Jurnal Hukum Pidana Dan Politik Hukum 11, no. 2 (2022). https://doi.org/10.22373/legitimasi.v11i2.16010.

Super. “Sejarah Pengadilan.” Pengadilan Tinggi Agama Manado, 2017.

Suteki., and A. A. Galang. Teori Hukum: Strategi Tertib Hukum Dalam Era Globalisasi. Yogyakarta: Thafa Media., 2017.

Syafei, Ermi Suhasti, and Siti Djazimah. “Mediation In Settlement of Joint Marital Property Disputes: Study At Tanjung Karang Religious Court, Lampung.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 5, no. 2 (2021). https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v5i2.9039.

Wibowo, Seno Adhi, and Massulthan Rafi Wijaya. “Implementation of the Small Claims Court in Dispute Case Settlement in Indonesia.” Lex Scientia Law Review 5, no. 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.15294/lesrev.v5i1.42859.

Yus, Zulkifli. “Mediasi Dalam Penyelesaian Sengketa Perkawinan Pada Mahkamah Syar’iyah Di Aceh.” El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga 5, no. 2 (2022). https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v5i2.17893.

Yusuf, Nasruddin, Nur Azizah, and Faradila Hasan. “Feminism Analysis of Judges’ Considerations for Post-Divorce Domestic Violence Victims in Medan and Banda Aceh Religious Courts.” Al-’Adalah 20, no. 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.24042/adalah.v20i2.16177.