Online Marriage and Divorce Fatwas: Religious Authority and the Digital Transformation of Islamic Family Law

Ahmad Rezy Meidina; Imam Purnomo Aji; Farah Tarisya Ayuningtias; Imam Sibawaih; Muhamad Fauzi Manarul Hidayah

doi:10.66277/jldc.v1i1.5

Authors

Ahmad Rezy Meidina Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Al-Hikmah 2, Brebes, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9882-6905
Imam Purnomo Aji Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam An-Nur, Banyumas, Indonesia
Farah Tarisya Ayuningtias Universitas Jenderal Soedriman, Purwokerto, Indonesia
Imam Sibawaih Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Muhamad Fauzi Manarul Hidayah Research and Publication Centre, Taskuliah Edukasi Indonesia, Lampung, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66277/jldc.v1i1.5

Keywords:

Digital fatwas; online marriage and divorce; Islamic family law; religious authority.

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has significantly transformed the production, dissemination, and authority of Islamic legal opinions (fatwas), particularly in the domain of Muslim family law. This article examines digital fatwas concerning online marriage and divorce as a critical site for understanding the reconfiguration of religious authority and Islamic legal reasoning in the digital age. Focusing specifically on issues such as virtual marriage contracts, digital guardianship, and divorce pronouncements conveyed through electronic media, the study explores how religious institutions and scholars respond to emerging online marital practices. Employing a qualitative socio-legal approach, this research analyzes selected digital fatwas issued by authoritative Islamic legal bodies and prominent scholars, alongside relevant classical fiqh doctrines on marriage and divorce. The analysis is framed through the perspectives of uṣūl al-fiqh, maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, and legal pluralism to examine the negotiation between normative Islamic law and contemporary technological realities. The findings reveal that digital fatwas on online marriage and divorce reflect both continuity and transformation within Islamic family law. While classical principles concerning consent, guardianship, and legal certainty remain foundational, digital contexts necessitate reinterpretations that reshape procedural norms and challenge traditional mechanisms of religious authority. Moreover, digital platforms contribute to the decentralization of fatwa authority, expanding public engagement while simultaneously generating legal ambiguities and contestations. This study highlights the implications of digitalization for legal legitimacy and the future development of Islamic jurisprudence in digitally mediated societies.

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