Verbal Violence as Divorce Grounds in Bekasi Religious Court:  Islamic Law Perspective

Muhammad Ardiansyah; Musyaffa Amin Ash Shabah; Muhamad Khafid; Suprihatin; Agus Supriyanto; Oni Wastoni

doi:10.66277/kanuun.v1i1.12

Authors

Muhammad Ardiansyah Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi
Musyaffa Amin Ash Shabah Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi
Muhamad Khafid Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi
Suprihatin Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi
Agus Supriyanto Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi
Oni Wastoni Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66277/kanuun.v1i1.12

Keywords:

Verbal Abuse, Psychological Darar, Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah, Judicial Reasoning, Islamic Family Law Reform

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the legal construction and judicial reasoning regarding verbal abuse as a legitimate ground for divorce within the Indonesian Religious Court system, specifically through a critical analysis of Case No. 4027/Pdt.G/2024/PA.Bks. It seeks to redefine the traditional concept of ḍarar (harm) by incorporating psychological dimensions into contemporary Islamic legal discourse and evaluating how these interpretations align with global legal reforms and Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah. Employing a socio-legal research methodology with a qualitative-descriptive approach, this study utilizes purposive sampling to analyze court documents and interview data from senior judges and legal experts. Thematic content analysis was applied to examine the ratio decidendi of the court’s verdict, cross-referencing it with international standards of domestic violence and forensic psychological theories. The findings reveal that while the Bekasi Religious Court has begun to recognize systematic verbal aggression as a cause for marital dissolution, the judicial reasoning remains heavily reliant on the normative category of "continuous disputes" (shiqāq) rather than explicitly identifying it as "psychological ḍarar." This reflects a persistent "physicalist" bias in evidentiary standards, where mental trauma is often undervalued due to a lack of interdisciplinary metrics. The study proposes an innovative theoretical expansion of ḍarar al-ma‘nawī (moral/psychological harm), arguing that protecting human dignity (karāmah insāniyyah) and mental integrity must be prioritized as fundamental objectives of the Sharia. This research contributes a new framework for judicial activism, positioning the Indonesian religious judiciary within the global trajectory of progressive Muslim family law reform.

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