Wives Maintenance as an Instrument of Gender Justice in Islam

Islam is a religion that provides comprehensive protection for women, one aspect of which is the obligation of wives’ maintenance. Wives’ maintenance is a mandatory duty of the husband and a recognised right of the wife, regardless of whether she is employed or otherwise. Nevertheless, neglect of wives’ maintenance frequently occurs, particularly in cases involving women who have their own income. Fundamentally, the provision of maintenance functions as an instrument of gender justice. Gender justice here refers to the effort to situate the rights of men and women within the framework of equality sanctioned by the Shari ‘aah, while also acknowledging their respective needs, responsibilities, and the innate differences that shape their social roles. Accordingly, this study pursues two main objectives: first, to examine the concept of wives’ maintenance in Islam; and second, to analyse wives’ maintenance as an instrument of gender justice within the Islamic tradition. This study adopts a qualitative approach through conceptual analysis and library-based research to reassess the Islamic principles governing wives’ maintenance and its relationship to gender justice. The findings demonstrate that the provision of wives’ maintenance constitutes a key mechanism for achieving gender justice in Islam.

wives’ maintenance, instrument

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