Reconsidering Technology and Authority in Indonesia’s Islamic Marriage Registration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21154/altahrir.v26i1.12770Keywords:
Islamic Legal Thought, Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, Marriage Registration, Digital Governance, Siyāsah SharʿiyyahAbstract
This article is a critical examination of the use of digital technology in the reform of Islamic marriage administration in Indonesia as seen in the enactment of Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation Number 30 of 2024. The study argues that even though the implementation of digital marriage registration via the Marriage Management Information System (SIMKAH), the implementation of mandatory pre-marriage counseling, and the improvement of administrative procedures have been introduced, the technological advancement is not enough to meet the higher maqāṣid al-sharīʾah. The research draws on Islamic legal thinking, specifically, the concept of ḥifẓ al-nasab, ḥifẓ al-ʿirḍ, and ḥifẓ al-ḥaqq, and concludes that the registration process is not a mere administrative procedure but a siyāsah sharʿiyyah with the aim of protecting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children. The study is a qualitative socio-legal type, characterized by the integration of regulatory analysis and semi-structured interviews, which are carried out to obtain information from the stakeholders involved in marriage administration and Islamic family governance. The results demonstrate that the process of digitization has enhanced the verifiability, administrative precision, and the probative force of marriage registers, but has also highlighted the ongoing challenges with access to digital tools, institutional capacity, legal awareness, and data protection. The study makes the case that technology should thus be seen as a tool of legal governance instead of a stand-alone solution to marriage registration issues.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Galuh Widitya Qomaro, Alfitri, Javaid Rehman, Muhammad Noor Harisudin, Iffatin Nur, Moh. Wardi
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