Istri Sebagai Tulang Punggung Keluarga: Tantangan Formulasi Nafkah Dalam Perspektif Hukum Keluarga Islam

Abstract

Changes in the social and economic structure of contemporary Muslim families have given rise to the phenomenon of wives becoming the primary breadwinners. This condition challenges the formulation of the concept of maintenance (nafkah) in Islamic Family Law, which normatively places the obligation of maintenance upon the husband. This article aims to analyze the challenges of formulating maintenance from the perspective of Islamic Family Law when the wife’s economic role becomes dominant. This study employs a library research method with a normative-qualitative approach by examining classical fiqh texts, Indonesian statutory regulations, and relevant academic literature. The findings indicate that although the husband’s obligation to provide maintenance remains a fundamental principle, the reality of wives as primary earners requires a more contextual and equitable interpretation. The shift in economic roles within the family necessitates a responsive formulation of maintenance that accommodates social changes without negating the basic principles of Islamic law. This article concludes that Islamic Family Law provides room for ijtihad to respond to contemporary family dynamics by emphasizing the principles of justice and public welfare as the main foundation of spousal relations.