How Muslim Couples Renegotiate Marital Rights and Obligations in Long-Distance Relationships

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30983/usraty.v3i2.11583

Keywords:

Islamic Family, Long-Distance Marriage, Marital Obligations, Muslim Couples, Spousal Rights

Abstract

This study examines how Muslim couples renegotiate marital rights and obligations in long-distance relationships (LDR) when physical separation challenges conventional marital arrangements. It aims to identify mechanisms for renegotiating reciprocal rights and responsibilities concerning nafkah lahir (material maintenance), nafkah batin (emotional and intimate needs), and mutual protection, using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as an analytical lens rather than a validated model. This qualitative multiple-case study examines three village cases in Kecamatan Keliling Danau, Kabupaten Kerinci, Jambi, Indonesia. Data were collected from January to February 2026 through interviews with eight informants, including wives and migrant husbands, supported by observation and documentary evidence. Data analysis employed deductive-inductive coding and source triangulation. The findings indicate that couples renegotiate marital rights and obligations through agreed remittance schedules, delegated household authority, scheduled communication, and kin-based support. Material rights and obligations, particularly wives’ entitlement to financial maintenance and husbands’ responsibility to provide it, are relatively successfully negotiated. However, emotional and intimate needs and mutual protection remain partially fulfilled because communication and family support cannot fully replace physical presence. These limitations become more pronounced when income is unstable or communication is inconsistent. The study concludes that physical separation does not suspend marital rights and obligations under Islamic family law but transforms their practical fulfilment. Furthermore, needs across Maslow’s hierarchy are fulfilled unevenly rather than sequentially. This study contributes a preliminary conceptual mapping of renegotiation mechanisms in Muslim long-distance marriages and provides insights for strengthening Islamic family counselling practices at the Office of Religious Affairs (KUA).

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2025-09-28

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Septeria, C., Jamin, A., Khairazi, F., & Yul, W. (2025). How Muslim Couples Renegotiate Marital Rights and Obligations in Long-Distance Relationships . USRATY : Journal of Islamic Family Law, 3(2), 227–241. https://doi.org/10.30983/usraty.v3i2.11583

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