Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority

South Africa features a blend of legislative regulations, customary laws, and evolving legal principles. This dynamic becomes especially complex for the small Muslim community, which must also adhere to Islamic Law, particularly in matters of inheritance distribution. Currently, South African legal...

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Main Authors: Muneer Abduroaf, Mogamat Soliegh Ceres
Format: Article
Language:Arabic
Published: Jurusan Syariah Fakultas Agama Islam Universitas Islam Sultan Agung Semarang 2024-10-01
Series:Ulul Albab: Jurnal Studi dan Penelitian Hukum Islam
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Online Access:https://jurnal.unissula.ac.id/index.php/ua/article/view/36782
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author Muneer Abduroaf
Mogamat Soliegh Ceres
author_facet Muneer Abduroaf
Mogamat Soliegh Ceres
author_sort Muneer Abduroaf
collection DOAJ
description South Africa features a blend of legislative regulations, customary laws, and evolving legal principles. This dynamic becomes especially complex for the small Muslim community, which must also adhere to Islamic Law, particularly in matters of inheritance distribution. Currently, South African legal references regarding inheritance under Islamic law are limited. This article seeks to analyze a specific inheritance case in which a husband, on his deathbed, has two wives, a son, and a daughter. The first wife was divorced while he was on his deathbed, and during this period, he married another woman before ultimately passing away. In his will, the husband stipulated that the estate should be distributed according to Islamic law, thus entitling his legitimate wife to inheritance. This study employs descriptive qualitative research using scenario-thinking methods to explore potential future outcomes for which no legal precedent exists. In analyzing this case, the concept of public interest (maslahah) emerges as a relevant theory aligned with the principle of justice. Various scholarly opinions from Islamic legal schools were also utilized in the analysis. The article recommends that the South African Muslim Judicial Council prioritize maslahah, proposing that both wives share 3/24 of the estate, the son receive 14/24, and the daughter receive 7/24. Although this decision has not yet been formally recognized in Islamic law, it can be viewed as an act of independent reasoning (ijtihad) based on the principle of justice through the approach of public interest without specific textual evidence (maslahah mursalah). Additionally, rationalized public interest (maslahah ma’qul al-ma’na) was applied to allocate inheritance to the first wife, acknowledging her extended time with the deceased husband.
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spelling doaj-art-13d2e0b3b76a49c6bf4a01fb4018f0eb2025-08-20T03:17:24ZaraJurusan Syariah Fakultas Agama Islam Universitas Islam Sultan Agung SemarangUlul Albab: Jurnal Studi dan Penelitian Hukum Islam2597-61682597-61762024-10-0181374910.30659/jua.v8i1.3678210268Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim MinorityMuneer Abduroaf0Mogamat Soliegh Ceres1University of the Western Cape, Cape TownUniversity of the Western Cape, Cape TownSouth Africa features a blend of legislative regulations, customary laws, and evolving legal principles. This dynamic becomes especially complex for the small Muslim community, which must also adhere to Islamic Law, particularly in matters of inheritance distribution. Currently, South African legal references regarding inheritance under Islamic law are limited. This article seeks to analyze a specific inheritance case in which a husband, on his deathbed, has two wives, a son, and a daughter. The first wife was divorced while he was on his deathbed, and during this period, he married another woman before ultimately passing away. In his will, the husband stipulated that the estate should be distributed according to Islamic law, thus entitling his legitimate wife to inheritance. This study employs descriptive qualitative research using scenario-thinking methods to explore potential future outcomes for which no legal precedent exists. In analyzing this case, the concept of public interest (maslahah) emerges as a relevant theory aligned with the principle of justice. Various scholarly opinions from Islamic legal schools were also utilized in the analysis. The article recommends that the South African Muslim Judicial Council prioritize maslahah, proposing that both wives share 3/24 of the estate, the son receive 14/24, and the daughter receive 7/24. Although this decision has not yet been formally recognized in Islamic law, it can be viewed as an act of independent reasoning (ijtihad) based on the principle of justice through the approach of public interest without specific textual evidence (maslahah mursalah). Additionally, rationalized public interest (maslahah ma’qul al-ma’na) was applied to allocate inheritance to the first wife, acknowledging her extended time with the deceased husband.https://jurnal.unissula.ac.id/index.php/ua/article/view/36782inheritancepublic interestmaslahahdeathbedmarriage
spellingShingle Muneer Abduroaf
Mogamat Soliegh Ceres
Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
Ulul Albab: Jurnal Studi dan Penelitian Hukum Islam
inheritance
public interest
maslahah
deathbed
marriage
title Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
title_full Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
title_fullStr Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
title_full_unstemmed Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
title_short Addressing Inheritance and Divorce Disputes in Deathbed Situations: A Maslahah-Based Study of South Africa’s Muslim Minority
title_sort addressing inheritance and divorce disputes in deathbed situations a maslahah based study of south africa s muslim minority
topic inheritance
public interest
maslahah
deathbed
marriage
url https://jurnal.unissula.ac.id/index.php/ua/article/view/36782
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