Islamic Law Beyond Punishment: A Maqāṣid-Based Analysis of the Criminalization of Unlawful Polygamous Marriages in Contemporary Indonesian State Law

Wildani Hefni; Qurrotul Uyun; Sabarudin Ahmad; Umar Chamdan

doi:10.32332/milrev.v5i2.13131

Authors

Wildani Hefni UIN Kiai Haji Achmad Siddiq Jember, Indonesia
Qurrotul Uyun UIN Kiai Haji Achmad Siddiq Jember, Indonesia
Sabarudin Ahmad UIN Palangka Raya, Indonesia
Umar Chamdan University of Vienna, Austria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32332/milrev.v5i2.13131

Keywords:

Criminal Law Policy; Criminalization; Islamic Law; Maqāṣid Al-Sharīʿah; Unlawful Polygamous Marriage.

Abstract

The enactment of the 2026 Indonesian Criminal Code marks a significant transformation in the national legal system, including the introduction of criminal sanctions for unlawful polygamous marriages. This article examines the construction of state criminal law in the criminalization of unlawful polygamy within Indonesia's contemporary criminal policy through the lens of maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah. Employing normative legal research that combines doctrinal legal analysis with a maqāṣid-based approach, the study argues that the criminalization of unlawful polygamy constitutes a form of state-led ijtihād grounded in the objectives of Islamic law and embedded within modern criminal justice policy. Rather than prohibiting polygamy as a lawful institution under Islamic law, the legislation targets unauthorized and fraudulent polygamous marriages that undermine legal certainty, gender equality, and family protection. This approach reflects a shift from formal textual legality toward a substantive legal paradigm centered on the protection of human dignity and social justice. From the perspective of maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, the criminalization of unlawful polygamy aligns with the objectives of safeguarding lineage (ḥifẓ al-nasl), human dignity (ḥifẓ al-ʿirḍ), and public welfare (maṣlaḥah). The findings demonstrate that maqāṣid provides a dynamic framework for contemporary ijtihād, enabling the harmonization of Islamic law and national law while legitimizing modern criminal law as an instrument for realizing the higher objectives of the Sharīʿah. Although debates surrounding the criminalization of polygamy often stem from a reductionist understanding of Sharīʿah as a fixed body of permissive norms, this article contends that criminal sanctions against unlawful polygamous marriages are not inherently inconsistent with Islamic law. Their legitimacy depends on adherence to the principles of proportionality, due process, and judicial discretion in criminal law enforcement. By moving beyond the conventional dichotomy between permissibility and prohibition, this study contributes to contemporary Islamic legal scholarship by offering a maqāṣid-oriented reconceptualization of the relationship between state authority, criminal legislation, and Islamic normativity.

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