Millati: Journal of Islamic Studies and Humanities

Dowry as Parental Motivation in Underage Marriage in Bogor, West Java

Iqbal Subhan Nugraha — 2025-07-04

The study focuses on dowry as parental motivation in underage marriage in Bogor, with the main question being how the misinterpretation of the concept of birrul walidain (filial piety to parents) drives the practice. The background of the issue shows that social and economic pressures often reinforce the erroneous interpretation of this concept, where young girls are forced into early marriage as a form of obedience to their parents. The position of this research is to critique the misinterpretation and offer a new perspective on the understanding of birrul walidain in the context of child rights protection. The method used is qualitative, involving in-depth interviews with five victims of early marriage. The relevant theories in this analysis are feminist theory and child rights, which are used to understand how social and patriarchal structures exploit girls through religious doctrine. The research findings indicate that family pressure and the incorrect application of birrul walidain have restricted the victims' freedom, leading to a loss of educational opportunities and personal freedom. The main conclusion of this study emphasizes the need for reform in religious and social education to improve societal understanding of balanced duty, thereby protecting children's rights from exploitation in the form of early marriage.

The Epistemology of Knowledge in Classical Sufism; A Study of Al-Muḥāsibī’s Thought (781 AD- 857 AD)

Miftahul Ula — 2025-07-05

Al-Washaya, Risalah al-Mustarsyidin and the book al-'Aql wa Fahmu al-Qur'an. The research data were analyzed by content analysis and hermeneutic philosophy analysis. The results showed that the source of knowledge of Sufism according to al-Muhasibi is revelation materialized in the Qur'an and hadith and reason. Reason serves for confirmation (tatsabut) for various problems. Reason is an indicator of one's devotion which is obtained after performing the typical stages of a Sufi, namely by purifying the heart from various diseases and impurities and carrying out obedience to God and doing good to other creatures. It was this that led al-Muhasibi to believe that it was the knowledge of Sufism that had the most convincing validity.

Hermeneutics of Religious Freedom in Modern and Contemporary Interpretation: A Comparative Analysis between Tafsir al-Manar and Fazlur Rahman

Prisilia Maya Safa — 2025-07-02

In response to the global challenges of rising intolerance and the politicization of religion, this study explores the hermeneutics of religious freedom in Islam through a comparative analysis of Tafsir al-Manar and Fazlur Rahman’s double movement methodology. Employing a qualitative comparative design grounded in philosophical hermeneutics, the research analyzes primary texts of Tafsir al-Manar and Rahman’s key works, supported by recent secondary literature. The findings indicate that al-Manar adopts a rational-contextualist approach that prioritizes communal protection against colonial-era religious coercion, whereas Rahman articulates universal ethical principles centered on freedom of conscience, resonating with contemporary human rights discourse. This study proposes an integrative hermeneutical model that synthesizes historical consciousness with universal ethics, enabling QS. Al-Baqarah (2:256) is to be interpreted both as a safeguard against forced conversion and as a timeless affirmation of religious freedom. The proposed model offers practical implications for policy development, particularly in the areas of religious freedom advocacy, interfaith dialogue, and inclusive Islamic educational curricula. This research contributes to Qur'anic hermeneutics by bridging traditional exegesis and modern ethical concerns, offering a framework that is both contextually grounded and normatively responsive to pluralistic Muslim societies.

Dialectics of Text and Reality: Interpretation of the Verses of the Qur’an on Husband and Wife Relations from the Perspective of NU and Muhammadiyah theologians in the Cities of Salatiga and Surakarta

Mubasirun — 2025-06-26

The fact that in society there are married women who work and have careers outside the home, raises debates in the interpretation of verses related to husband-wife relations. The purpose of this research is to reveal how NU and Muhammadiyah theologians interpret verses about husband-wife relations and the factors that influence these interpretations. The approach used in this research is a normative-sociological approach to highlight the views and ideas of NU and Muhammadiyah theologians about husband-wife relations. The use of a normative approach is to examine husband-wife relations in the verses of the Qur’an about husband-wife relations. Meanwhile, the sociological approach is used to see the views of theologians from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah circles about husband-wife relations as an interpretation of the verses of the Qur’an about husband-wife relations. For the purposes of analysis, the theory of Sociology of interpretation is used which refers to the view of Peter L Berger who states that the reality and knowledge that a person obtains are not given for free but are a dialect process between that person and the social reality that surrounds him which is then constructed into a text (interpretation). The research found that the interpretation of the NU and Muhammadiyah theologians of Salatiga and Surakarta regarding the shurah an-Nisa’[4];34 and al-Ahzab [33];33 did not have a problem with wives working and having careers outside the home as long as they obtained permission from their husbands.

The Relationship Between Religiosity and Preference for Leaders with Integrity: A Perspective on Religious Dimensions and Political Ethics

Luluk Mashluchah — 2025-06-26

This study aims to analyze the relationship between religiosity and the preference for leaders with integrity, as well as examine the role of political ethics as a moderator in this relationship. Using a quantitative approach with a descriptive and correlational design, this research involved 185 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale-based questionnaire and analyzed using Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA). The findings indicate that religiosity has a positive relationship with the preference for leaders with integrity; however, this relationship is strengthened by an individual's level of political ethics. Individuals with high political ethics are more consistent in selecting leaders based on integrity, whereas those with low political ethics are more influenced by external factors such as political affiliation, social pressure, and economic conditions. Additionally, this study identifies that party loyalty, socioeconomic background, media influence, and social norms can either strengthen or weaken the relationship between religiosity and integrity-based leadership preferences. These findings reaffirm that religiosity is not the sole determining factor in voter decision-making; rather, it must be understood within the context of political ethics and other external influences. The implications of this research highlight the necessity of political education based on ethical values and integrity to cultivate more critical and rational voters in selecting leaders with integrity.

The Ḥadīth of the Seven Earth Layers: A Scientific and Validity-Based Reappraisal

Muhammad Anshori — 2025-06-26

This study examines the hadith concerning the seven layers of the earth through a scientific lens. Its primary objective is to rigorously evaluate the hadith’s validity, encompassing both its chain of transmission (sanad) and textual content (matn). Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology with a critical hadith approach, this research addresses a salient aspect of contemporary hadith scholarship: the verification of prophetic traditions through modern scientific discoveries. The analysis assesses the reliability of the sanad, scrutinizes the matn, and investigates its congruence with current scientific knowledge. Findings indicate that the hadith attains a high degree of authenticity based on narrator verification and textual analysis. Scientifically, the concept of seven terrestrial layers referenced in the hadith demonstrates significant alignment with geological stratification models, ranging from the crust to the inner core. Consequently, this tradition is not only authenticated within the framework of hadith sciences but also proves consistent with modern scientific understanding, revealing embedded scientific insights empirically verified in the contemporary era.

Hermeneutics of Peace: Local Religious Elites and the Promotion of Interfaith Harmony in Central Java

Moh Muhtador — 2025-06-29

Local religious elites play a strategic role in constructing interfaith peace in their respective regions, but their existence has not yet received serious attention from scholars for study and introduction. This article aims to reveal two important things: the involvement of local religious elites and the meaning of peace as they believe it to be. This paper uses a qualitative method with field studies covering Pati, Kudus, and Blora as the locus of study, using hermeneutics to analyze the role and meaning of peace within local religious elites. The findings of this article indicate that interfaith harmony is primarily constructed within formal religious spaces and informal social settings through various arenas. The Quran and hadith are foundational texts believed to contain messages of eternal peace. This study contributes to understanding patterns in contemporary Islamic studies related to interfaith issues.