Digital Intimacy in Islamic Family Law: Applying the Ilḥaq Method to Marital Sexual Relations Through Cybersex

Ita Musarrofa; Nur Musyafa’ah; Rajali Aji

doi:10.28918/jhi.v23i2.09

Authors

Ita Musarrofa Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya, Indonesia
Nur Lailatul Musyafa’ah Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel, Surabaya, Indonesia
Rajali H. Aji Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28918/jhi.v23i2.09

Abstract

The development of digital technology has changed the pattern of intimacy in marriage, including the practice of fulfilling sexual needs online through cybersex between husband and wife. This phenomenon presents a normative challenge for Islamic family law, considering that classical fiqh generally starts from the assumption of physical sexual relations and does not provide explicit provisions regarding digitally mediated intimacy. This article examines the legal status of cybersex in marriage by applying the ilḥaq method, which refers to authoritative fiqh (al-kutub al-mu‘tabarah), as a form of analogical reasoning. This study uses a juridical-normative approach to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the ilḥaq method in determining the law on cybersex, including its legal implications for the rights and obligations of husband and wife, such as maintenance, dowry, and the iddah period. The results indicate that cybersex can be analogized with istimna as a form of non-physical sexual gratification, thus giving rise to certain legal consequences that depend on the construction of the analogy and the use of the fiqh school of thought as a reference. The strength of the ilḥaq method is its flexibility and ability to address new legal issues. Its weakness lies in its limited capacity to determine the 'illat' (laws) in addressing the complexities of marital relations through digital media. This study presents a normative framework based on the ilḥaq method, which bridges classical fiqh with digital intimacy practices while emphasizing the relevance of Islamic family law in responding to the social dynamics of contemporary global Muslim society.

Keywords:

Cybersex, Ilḥaq method, Marital sexual relations

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