Marriage Dispensation Based on Merariq in Religious Courts: Receptio a Contrario within the Legal Pluralism Framework

Hazar Kusmayanti; Dede Kania; Hyung-Jun Kim; Manisha Ramadanni

doi:10.28918/jhiv24i109

Authors

Hazar Kusmayanti Padjadjaran University, Indonesia
Dede Kania Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Indonesia
Hyung-Jun Kim Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
Manisha Ramadanni Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28918/jhiv24i109

Abstract

Applications for marriage dispensation based on merariq raise normative tensions between customary law, Islamic law, and state law. This study analyzes the rationality of applying for a marriage dispensation based on merariq, the application of the receptio a contrario theory in the legal reasoning of judges, and the repositioning of customary law within the legal pluralism framework. This study uses empirical juridical methods, with data sources including religious court decisions and statements by judges, families, and community leaders. The results show that the rationale for applying for a marriage dispensation is dominated by social pressure and the obligation to settle customary law, even though these reasons are not in line with the provisions of Islamic law and state law. In their legal considerations, judges apply the receptio a contrario theory by placing customary law as a norm that can only be enforced as long as it does not conflict with Islamic law and state law, particularly the provisions regarding child protection and the maqāṣid al-syarī'ah principles. Merariq customary law has been repositioned within the legal pluralism framework, from a basic norm of marriage legitimacy to a norm subject to the principles of Islamic law and state law. The receptio a contrario theory functions not only as a historical doctrine but also as a pattern of judicial reasoning in marriage dispensation decisions. These findings emphasize that the receptio a contrario theory serves as an instrument for harmonizing legal systems in marriage dispensation cases and enrich the study of legal pluralism in the field of religious court procedural law.

Keywords:

Legal Reasoning, Legal Pluralism, Marriage Dispensation, Merariq, Receptio a Contrario

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