Unity Lens

RESEARCH ARTICLE

• research article

  Male Nusyuz in Islamic Family Law: Gender Relations, Reciprocal Obligations, and the Protection of Wives’ Rights in Indonesia

  Ridho Hidayat, Jamil Jamil

  Gender-biased interpretations of nusyuz in Islamic family law have long positioned wives as the primary subjects of marital disobedience, while male neglect of marital obligations remains under-recognized, resulting in weak protection of wives’ rights. This issue is particularly significant in the Indonesian context, where normative Islamic principles of reciprocity are not consistently reflected in legal interpretation and judicial practice. This study aims to examine the concept of male nusyuz and its implications for gender justice within Islamic family law. Using a qualitative juridical-normative and socio-religious approach, the study analyzes 12 normative sources, including Qur’anic verses, Prophetic traditions, classical and contemporary fiqh literature, and Indonesian family law regulations, particularly the Compilation of Islamic Law (KHI). The analysis employs a doctrinal approach guided by a gender-justice framework based on reciprocity (mubādalah). The four categories of male nusyuz—neglect of financial maintenance, emotional abandonment, abusive conduct, and failure of responsible leadership—were derived through thematic classification and doctrinal synthesis of Islamic legal texts. The findings indicate that while Islamic normative sources doctrinally recognize reciprocal marital obligations, their application in legal interpretation and judicial practice tends to emphasize wives’ nusyuz, with male misconduct often addressed through alternative legal categories. This study contributes to Islamic legal scholarship by offering a systematic doctrinal reinterpretation of nusyuz that incorporates male accountability within a unified framework. It also highlights the need to strengthen gender-just interpretations in Indonesian legal practice, particularly in judicial reasoning, to ensure more equitable protection of spouses’ rights.

  Unity Lens

  30 Jun 2026

  7 pages
• research article

  The Role of Women in Islam from the Perspective of Leila Ahmed’s Feminist Epistemology

  Artharani Shafira Puteri, Yusafrida Rasyidin, Nofrizal Nofrizal

  Gender inequality in Muslim societies persists despite normative Islamic principles that emphasize justice and equality, largely due to historically constructed patriarchal interpretations. This study aims to analyze women’s roles in Islam through Leila Ahmed’s feminist epistemology, focusing on how such interpretations were produced and institutionalized. A qualitative library research design was employed, using primary works of Leila Ahmed and relevant secondary literature. Data were analyzed through historical and epistemological approaches, including thematic categorization and conceptual analysis. The findings indicate that women’s marginalization originates from historical Islam rather than normative teachings. The institutionalization of patriarchal norms during the Abbasid period significantly limited women’s participation in intellectual and public spheres. In addition, classical Islamic knowledge production reflects socially situated perspectives that exclude women as epistemological subjects. These findings demonstrate that gender inequality is structurally embedded within interpretative traditions rather than derived from religious doctrine. This study contributes by integrating historical context and feminist epistemology to provide a more comprehensive understanding of gender issues in Islam. Unlike previous descriptive studies, this research highlights the role of power relations in shaping religious knowledge. The results suggest that achieving gender justice requires not only reinterpretation of texts but also reconstruction of epistemological foundations. Future research is recommended to explore empirical applications of feminist epistemology in contemporary Muslim societies. Additionally, the study reinforces the importance of critically revisiting dominant interpretative frameworks and encourages inclusive knowledge production that acknowledges women’s experiences as valid sources of religious understanding within broader Islamic intellectual traditions in contemporary scholarly discourse today.

  Unity Lens

  19 May 2026

  5 pages
• research article

  The Implementation of Multicultural Values through the Saulak Tradition in Kampung Mandar, Banyuwangi, Indonesia

  Badrud Tamam Ulumudin, Andika Ronggo Gumuruh, Harjianto Harjianto

  Indonesia’s growing cultural diversity increases the importance of maintaining social cohesion, particularly at the community level where local traditions are increasingly affected by modernization and religious reinterpretation. The weakening of such traditions may reduce the everyday enactment of multicultural values that support harmonious coexistence. This study examines how the Saulak tradition reflects and sustains multicultural values in Kampung Mandar, Banyuwangi. A qualitative descriptive case study design with a phenomenological orientation was applied, involving nine purposively selected participants consisting of community leaders and tradition practitioners. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that multicultural values in the Saulak tradition are expressed through democratic participation in collective deliberation, humanistic cooperation in communal activities, pluralistic inclusion across ethnic groups, and tolerance in intergroup engagement. Rather than being fixed cultural attributes, these values emerge through negotiated participation, customary authority structures, and reciprocal social relations within ritual practice. The study also reveals that these processes persist despite pressures from modernization and shifting religious interpretations, indicating the adaptive capacity of local cultural traditions. In conclusion, the Saulak tradition functions as a socio-cultural mechanism through which multicultural values are continuously produced and maintained at the local level. The study contributes to multicultural and anthropological scholarship by highlighting ritual practice as a dynamic site of value negotiation and social cohesion, offering context-specific insight into how cultural traditions sustain diversity in everyday life.

  Unity Lens

  30 Jun 2026

  9 pages
• research article

  Tadika and Cultural Resilence in Marginalized Malay-Muslim Communities in Southern Thailand

  Aldhy Abdullah, Ria Warda Mappile, Subhan Subhan

  Marginalization and assimilation policies in Southern Thailand have weakened the transmission of Islamic knowledge and Malay-Muslim identity, creating an urgent need for culturally responsive educational alternatives. This study analyzes the role of Tadika Nadwatul Islammiah Dala—a community-based Islamic kindergarten in Pattani, Southern Thailand—in sustaining religious values, cultural identity, and social cohesion within marginalized Malay-Muslim communities. We employed a qualitative case study design incorporating targeted ethnographic techniques, involving 28 participants (10 students, 6 teachers, 8 parents, and 4 community leaders) selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected over a three-week period (1-20 August 2024) through participant observation (4-6 hours daily), in-depth interviews (45-90 minutes), and document analysis, and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model. The findings reveal that Tadika plays a multidimensional role as a center for religious education, cultural transmission, identity preservation, and community support. It significantly improves children’s religious literacy, strengthens social solidarity, and provides an affordable educational alternative for low-income families. However, Tadika faces persistent challenges, including limited government support, inadequate facilities, and socio-political pressures affecting Muslim minorities. Despite these constraints, Tadika remains a resilient and strategic institution in preserving Islamic values and Malay cultural identity. In conclusion, Tadika serves not only as an educational space but also as a critical mechanism for cultural resilience and identity formation in marginalized Muslim communities.

  Unity Lens

  30 Jun 2026

  7 pages
• research article

  Toward a Gender-Inclusive Ecological Paradigm in the Qur’an

  Nurhalima Nurhalima, Suraya Attamimi, Muhammad Rafiiy Rahim

  Environmental degradation and gender inequality remain interconnected global challenges, particularly within societies where ecological exploitation marginalizes women’s participation in environmental governance and conservation. Although previous Islamic ecological studies have discussed ecofeminism and environmental ethics separately, limited research has comprehensively examined gender-oriented ecology within the Qur’anic perspective. This study aims to analyze the concept of gender-oriented ecology in the Qur’an and explore its implications for inclusive environmental ethics. The research employed a qualitative library research design using the thematic (maudhu‘i) interpretation approach. Primary data consisted of Qur’anic verses related to environmental ethics, stewardship, ecological balance, and gender equality, while secondary data were collected from contemporary scholarly literature published between 2021 and 2025. Data were analyzed descriptively through thematic categorization, contextual interpretation, and comparative analysis using Tafsir Al-Misbah and Tafsir Al-Azhar as primary interpretative references. The findings identified five major Qur’anic ecological principles and three dominant gender-related ecological dimensions emphasizing collective stewardship, ethical responsibility, interdependence, equality, and environmental sustainability. The study also found that women possess equal ecological responsibilities and rights in environmental preservation according to Qur’anic teachings. Furthermore, the concept of hifẓ al-bi’ah strengthens environmental conservation as a shared Islamic obligation for both men and women. This study demonstrates that the Qur’an promotes an inclusive ecological paradigm by integrating environmental ethics, gender equality, and spiritual responsibility. These findings contribute to contemporary scholarship by establishing a clear theological foundation for gender-inclusive sustainability frameworks within modern Muslim societies.

  Unity Lens

  30 Jun 2026

  6 pages