Nafkah Istri dalam Ikatan Perkawinan: Sebuah Kajian Budaya di Palestina dan Melayu Riau

Abstract

The concept of wife’s maintenance in marriage is a fundamental obligation of the husband in Islamic teachings, playing a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of the family. This study aims to compare the implementation of wife’s maintenance in two distinct cultures, Palestine and Riau Malay, focusing on the influence of social, economic, and cultural factors on the fulfillment of this obligation. In Palestinian society, political instability and economic challenges caused by prolonged conflict significantly affect the husband's ability to fulfill his maintenance duties, leading many families to struggle with meeting basic needs. In contrast, in Riau Malay culture, the implementation of maintenance is more influenced by customary law, which integrates traditional values with Islamic principles, emphasizing both the physical and emotional well-being of the wife in marital life. Although there are differences in the implementation of maintenance in these two cultures, both share a fundamental understanding that wife’s maintenance is a husband’s duty rooted in Islamic teachings. This study is expected to provide deeper insights into the differences in the implementation of wife’s maintenance in different cultural contexts and identify the factors that influence its practice in both regions. Furthermore, the research contributes to enhancing the understanding of the role of religion and culture in regulating marital obligations.

Keywords: Wife's maintenance, Islamic law, Palestine, Riau Malay, cultural comparison, husband’s duties.