Setting the Minimum Age in Muslim Family Law: A Maqasid-Centered Approach to Legal Reform
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Abstract
This article examines the question of minimum marriage age through the normative framework of maqasid al-shariah. While classical juristic discourse often linked marital capacity to biological puberty, contemporary realities reveal significant physical, psychological, educational, and socio-economic harms associated with child marriage. Employing a doctrinal legal research methodology, this study analyzes the issue through the five essential objectives, namely preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and wealth. It further incorporates specialized family objectives and dynamic juristic principles, including fiqh al-muwazanah, sadd al-dhariah, and contextual ijtihad. The analysis demonstrates that justifications for early marriage frequently fall within secondary (hajiyyah) considerations. In contrast, the documented harms of child marriage directly undermine essential objectives and long-term family stability. The paper argues that when predictable and substantial harm outweighs speculative benefit, Islamic legal theory mandates restriction. Accordingly, establishing a statutory minimum age of marriage is a legitimate application of maqasid principles aimed at securing holistic welfare and preventing harm. The study concludes that reforming marriage laws to incorporate maturity, educational continuity, psychological readiness, and financial capability aligns with the overarching family objectives of Islamic law. The study further proposes legal reforms grounded in maqasid principles and identifies directions for future empirical research.
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