LEGAL REFORM: REINTERPRETING MAQĀṢID AL-SHARĪ‘AH THROUGH THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46773/k5nt0c15Keywords:
Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah, Best Interests of the Child, Islamic Family Law, Legal Reform, Children's RightsAbstract
Contemporary Islamic family law faces growing challenges in protecting children's rights and welfare. This study reinterprets maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah through the best interests of the child and proposes a child-centered framework for legal reform. Using normative legal research with conceptual, doctrinal, comparative, and integrative literature approaches, it examines Islamic jurisprudence, children's rights standards, and family law scholarship. The analysis connects the protection of life, intellect, lineage, religion, and property with children's dignity, development, education, safety, and economic security. It identifies substantive reform priorities in child marriage, custody, guardianship, maintenance, and filiation, alongside procedural safeguards involving individualized assessment, meaningful participation, proportionality, reasoned decisions, and institutional accountability. The proposed Child-Centered Maqāṣid-Based Legal Reform Framework treats children as rights-holders while retaining the ethical foundations of Islamic jurisprudence. This normative framework offers a basis for more transparent and child-responsive family law reform, although further doctrinal and empirical evaluation remains necessary.
Keywords: Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah; Best Interests of the Child; Islamic Family Law; Legal Reform; Children's Rights
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