Deconstructing Misogynistic Interpretations: A Gender-Just Fiqh Approach to the Role of Women in Family and Career
Abstract
This study focuses on gender injustice within families, particularly as experienced by women working in environments where misogynistic ideologies continue to dominate and shape domestic relations. The theoretical framework suggests that this problem stems from gender-biased interpretations of traditional fiqh, especially concerning concepts such as qawāmah. The research examines how ideology influences decision-making, role distribution, and women's financial autonomy, thereby creating burdens and obstacles. By offering a more just perspective, the study seeks to deconstruct misogynistic tendencies embedded in family. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining critical analysis of Qur'anic exegesis with empirical data collected from 100 respondents and in-depth interviews with 10 informants in South Tangerang. The findings show that misinterpretations of fiqh reinforce family injustices, while progressive perspectives aligned with contextual and justice-oriented interpretations also emerge. The study concludes that both social and theological factors shape gender injustice. Consequently, achieving egalitarian and just relationships requires a paradigm shift through the progressive revision of Islamic family law toward gender justice.
Downloads
References
Abdul Kodir, Faqiuddin, Nor Ismah, Samia Kotele, Wakhit Hasyim, and Fadzila Din. “Maqāṣid Cum-Mubādalah Methodology of KUPI: Centering Women’s Experiences in Islamic Law for Gender-Just Fiqh.” AL-IHKAM: Jurnal Hukum & Pranata Sosial 19, no. 2 (January 25, 2025): 519–545. https://ejournal.iainmadura.ac.id/index.php/alihkam/article/view/16617.
Afif, Achmad Mudhofar, Maskur Rosyid, and Lutfi. “Gender Equality in Islamic Sharia (The Study of Bisri Mustofa’s Thought in Al-Ibrīz Li Ma’rifah Tafsīr Al-Qur’ān Al-’Azīz).” Syariah: Jurnal Hukum dan Pemikiran (2022).
Al-Bassam, Taudhih Al-Ahkam. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1405 H.
Al-Mannai, Salah S. “The Misinterpretation of Women’s Status in the Muslim World.” Digest of Middle East Studies (2010).
Allen, Kelly-Ann, Kerryn Butler-Henderson, Andrea Reupert, Fiona Longmuir, Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh, Emily Berger, Christine Grove, et al. “Work like a Girl: Redressing Gender Inequity in Academia through Systemic Solutions.” Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice 18, no. 3 (July 1, 2021): 1–15. https://open-publishing.org/journals/index.php/jutlp/article/view/457.
Al-Syatibi. Al-Muwafaqat. II. Maktabah Tijariyah Kubro, 1975.
Arifinsyah, Maulana Andinata Dalimunthe, and Faisal Riza. “Islamic Theological Perspectives on Human Rights: Bridging the Gap between Faith and Universal Principles.” Pharos Journal of Theology, no. 106.2 (March 2025).
Az-Zuhaili, Wahbah. Al-Fiqh Al-Islami Wa Adillatuh. Damaskus: Dar al-Fikr, 1997.
Bang, Nupur Pavan, Sougata Ray, and Satish Kumar. “Women in Family Business Research—What We Know and What We Should Know?” Journal of Business Research 164 (September 2023): 113990.
Begum, Mohamed Sulthan Ismiya, Indriaty Ismail, Zul’azmi Yaakob, Ahamed Sarjoon Razick, and Mohamed Mahroof Ali Abdullah. “Gender Equity in Muslim Family Law: Modern and Contemporary ‘Ulamā’s View.” Al-Ahkam 34, no. 2 (October 31, 2024): 221–256. https://journal.walisongo.ac.id/index.php/ahkam/article/view/20773.
Binti Kamaruddin, Zuraidah, Saidatolakma Binti Yunus, and Adibah Binti Abdul Rahim. “The Status of Women and Their Rights Based on the Understanding of Sisters in Islam; an Analysis from an Islamic Perspective.” Al-Shajarah (2018).
Brayson, Kimberley. “Hating Women: A Constitution of Hate in Plain Sight.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence 39, no. 17–18 (September 2024): 3954–3982.
Chowdhury, Aparajita, and Manoj Manjari Patnaik. “Empowering Boys and Men to Achieve Gender Equality in India.” Journal of Developing Societies (2010).
Cornell, Rkia E. “‘Soul of a Woman Was Created Below’ Woman as the Lower Soul (Nafs) in Islam.” In Currents of Encounter, 2007.
Dogra, Pallavi, and Arun Kaushal. “Underlying the Triple Burden Effects on Women Educationists Due to COVID-19.” Education and Information Technologies 27, no. 1 (January 16, 2022): 209–228. https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10639-021-10645-6.
Fadillah, Nisaul. “Women’s Majelis Taklim and The Gradual Move Toward Gender Equality.” JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN ISLAM 17, no. 1 (June 2023): 100.
Fajar, Mokhammad Samson, and Faris Al Badr. “Kafâ’ah Contextualization in an Effort to Form Harmonious Family in the Modern Era: An Analysis Of Fazlur Rahman’s Double Movement.” AL-’ADALAH 17, no. 2 (February 2021): 203–230.
Fakhria, Sheila, and Siti Marpuah. “A Discourse of Mudawanah Al-Usrah; Guaranteeing Women’s Rights in Family Law Morocco’s.” Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman 33, no. 2 (August 22, 2022): 309–324. https://ejournal.uit-lirboyo.ac.id/index.php/tribakti/article/view/2640.
Finatto, Carla Patricia, Camilla Gomes da Silva, Gabriela Carpejani, and José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra. “Women’s Empowerment Initiatives in Brazilian Universities: Cases of Extension Programs to Promote Sustainable Development.” In World Sustainability Series, 2021.
Fitria, Tira Nur. “Women in Political Leadership: An Islamic Economic Perspective on Women’s Empowerment, Gender Justice and Socio-Economic Welfare.” JIEI: Jurnal Ilmiah Ekonomi Islam 11, no. 2 (2025): 29–49.
Fontanella, Lara, Berta Chulvi, Elisa Ignazzi, Annalina Sarra, and Alice Tontodimamma. “How Do We Study Misogyny in the Digital Age? A Systematic Literature Review Using a Computational Linguistic Approach.” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 11, no. 1 (April 2024): 478.
Fuad, Ahmad Nur. “From Binary Perspectives to Context-Sensitive Approaches: Changing Trends in Scholarship on Political Islam in Turkey, Tunisia and Indonesia.” Ulumuna 28, no. 2 (December 31, 2024): 961–987. https://ulumuna.or.id/index.php/ujis/article/view/997.
Gharavi, Seyede Saeideh. “The Permissibility of Women’s Social Presence from an Islamic Viewpoint.” Religious Inquiries (2019).
Ginting, Lestari Dara Cinta Utami, Vivi Adryani Nasution, Aris Suhendar, Alya Rahma Nasution, and All Rizky Ramadhan. “Women in the Public Sphere: Gender Equality in Islamic Theology.” Pharos Journal of Theology, no. 105(1) (December 2023).
Grajales Usuga, Martha Elena. “Misogynist Violence, Love and Patriarchy.” Perseitas, 2022.
Hasan, Hamka, Asep S. Jahar, Nasaruddin Umar, and Irwan Abdullah. “Polygamy: Uncovering the Effect of Patriarchal Ideology on Gender-Biased Interpretation.” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 78, no. 4 (December 2022).
Hassan, Abida, Samza Fatima, and Muhammad Bilal. “The Issue of Qawāmah in Traditional and Modern Legal Discourse.” The Scholar Islamic Academic Research Journal 8, no. 1 (June 3, 2022): 1–15. http://siarj.com/index.php/Siarj/article/view/334.
Hidayah, Ahdiyatul. “Analysis of the Right of Reference for Wives in the Perspective of Gender Justice and Islamic Law in Indonesia.” An-Nisa’: Jurnal Kajian Perempuan dan Keislaman 18, no. 1 (2025): 17–32.
Hidayati, Tri Wahyu, Ulfah Susilawati, and Endang Sriani. “Dynamics of Family Fiqh: The Multiple Roles of Women in Realizing Family Resilience.” Ijtihad : Jurnal Wacana Hukum Islam dan Kemanusiaan 22, no. 2 (December 14, 2022): 219–238. https://ijtihad.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/ijtihad/article/view/8256.
Ichwan, Moh Nor, David Ming, and Mokh Sya’roni. “Bridging Tradition and Modernity: Integrating Classical Interpretation and Modern Hermeneutics through Ijtihad in Qur’an Studies.” Pharos Journal of Theology 106, no. SpecialIssue-2 (2025).
Jamal Elatrash, Radwan, Sri Tuti Rahmawati, and Ziyad Alhaq. "Women's Empowerment from a Quranic Perspective." AL-BURHĀN: JOURNAL OF QURʾĀN AND SUNNAH STUDIES 7, no. 2 (December 10, 2023): 73–88. https://journals.iium.edu.my/al-burhan/index.php/al-burhan/article/view/291.
Jesús Carrasco-Santos, María, Siamak Seyfi, Seyedasaad Hosseini, C. Michael Hall, Boshra Mohajer, Fernando Almeida-García, and Rafael Cortes Macías. “Breaking Boundaries: Exploring Gendered Challenges and Advancing Equality for Iranian Women Careers in Tourism.” Tourism Management 103 (August 2024): 104913.
Junaidi, Akhmad Arif. “Kongres Ulama Perempuan Indonesia (KUPI) and Mubādalah Approach in Interpreting the Gender Biased-Qur’anic Verses.” Sawwa: Jurnal Studi Gender 18, no. 1 (April 30, 2023): 1–24. https://journal.walisongo.ac.id/index.php/sawwa/article/view/17269.
Khotimah, Husnul, and Moh Rois. “Gender Bias in the Perspective of Patriarchy Theory, Islamic Jurisprudence and Gender Equality in Indonesia.” In The 6th International Conference on Law, Technology, Spirituality and Society (ICOLESS), 281–293. Fakultas Syariah Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, 2023. https://conferences.uin-malang.ac.id/index.php/ICOLESS/article/view/2605.
Kim, Young Lan. “The Change of Women’s Social Status in Korea: Progress and Reaction.” Asian Women (2011).
King, Anna. “Islam, Women and Violence.” Feminist Theology (2009).
Klingorová, Kamila, and Tomáš Havlíček. “Religion and Gender Inequality: The Status of Women in the Societies of World Religions.” Moravian Geographical Reports (2015).
Lee, Jae Kyung, and Hye Gyong Park. “Measures of Women’s Status and Gender Inequality in Asia: Issues and Challenges.” Asian Journal of Women’s Studies (2011).
Lundquist, Caroline R., and Sarah LaChance Adams. “A Continuum of Women’s Agency under Misogyny.” Hypatia 38, no. 1 (June 2023): 105–113.
Manzhur, Ibn, Lisan Al-’Arab. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1386 H.
Mas’udah, Siti. “Power Relations of Husbands and Wives Experiencing Domestic Violence in Dual-Career Families in Indonesia.” Millennial Asia 14, no. 1 (March 2023): 5–27.
McCarthy, Lauren, and Scott Taylor. “Misogyny and Organization Studies.” Organization Studies 45, no. 3 (March 2024): 457–473.
Mendoza, Blanca, Marta Bertran, and Jordi Pàmies. “Feminism, Islam and Higher Education: Towards New Roles and Family Relationships for Young Spanish-Moroccan Muslim Women in Spain.” Race Ethnicity and Education 27, no. 2 (February 2024): 173–192.
Millati Agustina, Arifah. “Gender Construction in The Perspective of Living Fiqh in Indonesia.” Justicia Islamica 18, no. 2 (November 29, 2021): 189–210. https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/justicia/article/view/2488.
Nastangin, Nastangin, and Muhammad Chairul Huda. “The Role of Career Women in Creating a Sakinah Family: From Mubadalah (Mutuality) Perspective.” Al-’Adalah 19, no. 1 (June 2022): 123–140.
Nugroho, Bambang Husni, Ahmad Mustaniruddin, and Ahmad Taufik. “Ideological Contestation on the Production of Gender Exegesis within Institutional Quranic Interpretation in Indonesia.” Jurnal Studi Ilmu-ilmu al-Qur’an dan Hadis 25, no. 2 (2024): 346–369.
Nur Hidayah, Okti, Musyafangah, and Ahmad Rezy Meidina. “Analysis of the Rights and Obligations of Husband and Wife in the Compilation of Islamic Law: A Review from the Perspective of Gender Equality.” Legitima : Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Islam 6, no. 1 (December 30, 2023): 1–15. https://ejournal.uit-lirboyo.ac.id/index.php/as/article/view/4148.
Nurjanah, Siti, and Iffatin Nur. “Gender Fiqh: Mobilization of Gender-Responsive Movement on Social Media.” Ijtihad : Jurnal Wacana Hukum Islam dan Kemanusiaan 22, no. 1 (May 31, 2022): 1–18. https://ijtihad.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/ijtihad/article/view/6815.
O’Hanlon, Robin, Frederick L. Altice, Roy Ka-Wei Lee, Jack LaViolette, Gloria Mark, Orestis Papakyriakopoulos, Koustuv Saha, Munmun De Choudhury, and Navin Kumar. “Misogynistic Extremism: A Scoping Review.” Trauma, Violence, & Abuse 25, no. 2 (April 2024): 1219–1234.
Riady, Holan. “Reinterpreting The Concept of Nafkah in Islamic Family Law in The Digital Era: Between Gender Justice and The Transformation of Economic Roles Within The Family.” Innovative Pedagogy and Education Studies (IPES) 2, no. 2 (2025): 1–11. https://e-journal.icmandalika.or.id/index.php/IPES/article/view/121.
Rizka, Husnul, Muhammad Shuhufi, and Nabiha Amaliyah Iqbal. “Transformasi Peran Ganda Perempuan Perspektif Fikih Gender.” Jimmi: Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa Multidisiplin 2, no. 1 (February 9, 2025): 1–8. https://jurnal.fanshurinstitute.org/index.php/jimmi/article/view/217.
Rohmi Yuhani’ah, Yuslina Mohamed, and Rudi Santoso. “Reason Al-Narajil as Gender-Just Jurisprudence: Analysis of the Roles of Women and Men.” Journal of Islamic Mubadalah 2, no. 1 (June 2, 2025): 50–63. https://journal.brajamustipublication.com/index.php/jim/article/view/34.
Rosdiana, Rosdiana. “Kedudukan Perempuan dalam Fikih dan Problematika Keadilan Gender.” Jurnal Harkat : Media Komunikasi Gender 11, no. 2 (January 21, 2019): 172–182. http://journal.uinjkt.ac.id/index.php/psga/article/view/10441.
Saiin, Asrizal, Firdaus Firdaus, Maulana Yusuf, Supani Supani, Muchimah Muchimah, and Anwar M. Radiamoda. “Walking Together: Dynamics of Muslim Wives Dual Role in Rural Areas Pursuing Career and Household Responsibilities.” El-Mashlahah 14, no. 1 (June 2024): 127–148.
Seifu, Beminate Lemma, Kusse Urmale Mare, Bruck Tesfaye Legesse, and Tsion Mulat Tebeje. “Double Burden of Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Women of Reproductive Age in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis.” BMJ Open 14, no. 2 (February 10, 2024): e073447. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073447.
Simon, Richi, and Shumayela Hasan. “Patriarchy and Gender Inequality: A Comprehensive Analysis of Women’s Empowerment in Contemporary India.” Gender Issues 42, no. 1 (March 2025): 7.
Singh, Arpita, and Ripudaman Singh. “Women Entrepreneurs in India: Evolution, Current Challenges and Future Prospects.” Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results (2022).
Singh, Saurabh, Neha Shri, and Akancha Singh. “Inequalities in the Prevalence of Double Burden of Malnutrition among Mother–Child Dyads in India.” Scientific Reports 13, no. 1 (October 7, 2023): 16923. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-43993-z.
Suk, Julie C. After Misogyny: How the Law Fails Women and What to Do about It. After Misogyny: How the Law Fails Women and What to Do about It, 2023.
wadud, amina. “Reflections on Islamic Feminist Exegesis of the Qur’an.” Religions 12, no. 7 (July 2021): 497.
Wang, Senhu, and Lambert Zixin Li. “Double Jeopardy: The Roles of Job Autonomy and Spousal Gender Ideology in Employed Women’s Mental Health.” Applied Research in Quality of Life 18, no. 1 (February 2023): 473–490.
Wardiana, Wina, Adi Fadli, and Masnun Masnun. "Contribution of Women in the Education Management of Islamic Boarding Schools." Ulumuna 28, no. 1 (September 30, 2024): 398–423. https://ulumuna.or.id/index.php/ujis/article/view/805.
Weiss, Phelia, Kevin Koban, and Jörg Matthes. “A Narrow Gateway from Misogyny to the Far Right: Empirical Evidence for Social Media Exposure Effects.” Information, Communication & Society (December 2024): 1–19.
Widyasari, Aulya, and Suyanto Suyanto. “Pembagian Kerja Dalam Rumah Tangga Antara Suami Dan Istri Yang Bekerja.” Endogami: Jurnal Ilmiah Kajian Antropologi 6, no. 2 (June 16, 2023): 209–226. https://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/endogami/article/view/55162.
Yilmaz, Ibrahim. “An Analytical Overview on the Girl’s Inheritance Share Based on Gender in Islamic Law.” Cumhuriyet Ilahiyat Dergisi (2018).
Zunaidi, Arif, and Facrial Lailatul Maghfiroh. “The Role Of Women In Improving The Family Economy.” Dinar : Jurnal Ekonomi dan Keuangan Islam 8, no. 1 (August 3, 2021): 61–79. https://journal.trunojoyo.ac.id/dinar/article/view/10581.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ulumuna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
