Ekonomi Syariah dan Masyarakat Pedesaan: Praktik Jual Beli Buah Sawit dalam Perspektif Ekonomi Islam

Abstract

The buying and selling of palm fruit in rural communities generally takes place informally and is based on custom (‘urf), but issues still exist regarding price transparency, weighing mechanisms, debt-credit relationships between farmers and collectors, and imbalances in farmers’ bargaining power, all of which have the potential to affect the compliance of transactions with the principles of Islamic economics.
This study aims to analyze the practice of buying and selling oil palm fruit in Anak Tuha Subdistrict, Central Lampung Regency, and to assess the extent to which it conforms to the principles of Islamic economics, which include justice (‘adl), consent (ridha), trustworthiness, transparency, the prohibition of gharar and tadlis, and public interest.
The study employs a qualitative approach using field research methods. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving palm oil farmers and collectors selected through purposive sampling.
The research findings indicate that palm oil trading practices generally employ the mu‘athah contract, which is considered valid under Sharia law because it fulfills the essential elements and conditions of a contract and is grounded in the principles of voluntary consent and trust. However, information asymmetry still exists in price determination, there is a lack of transparency in weighing and assessing fruit quality, and debt-credit relationships weaken farmers’ bargaining power. Thus, while these practices meet the legal requirements of the contract, they have not yet fully realized the principles of justice and the protection of property (hifz al-mal). The novelty of this study lies in its integrative analysis, which comprehensively links Islamic commercial jurisprudence (fiqh muamalah), Islamic economics, and the socioeconomic realities of rural communities in the context of palm fruit trading practices.