Monitoring Post-Divorce Maintenance in Malaysia: An Analysis of the Role of the Family Support Division from the Perspective of Fiqh and Law
Abstract
The issue of non-payment of post-divorce maintenance among the Muslim community in Malaysia remains a significant challenge, notwithstanding the clear recognition of such rights under Syariah law. The failure of former husbands to fulfil this obligation has direct implications on former wives and children. In response, the Syariah Courts, through the Family Support Division (Bahagian Sokongan Keluarga, BSK), have introduced various enforcement mechanisms, including the implementation of the e-Nafkah system in 2023. The objective of this study is to evaluate monitoring of maintenance following court orders by comparing classical fiqh principles with contemporary legal innovations that utilise technology. This study adopts a theoretical approach using qualitative methods through an analysis of classical Fiqh sources, Islamic family law statutes, BSK reports, as well as supporting data from a field interview with a Syariah Court officer to assess the suitability of this modern approach from the perspectives of Fiqh and maqasid syariah. The findings indicate that classical Fiqh regards maintenance as an individual right (al-ḥaqq li al-ādami) that may only be enforced upon a complaint by the creditor, whereas Malaysian law adopts a more proactive approach through automatic monitoring mechanisms. Despite these differences, the modern system is considered consistent with maqasid syariah as it serves to safeguard family welfare, protect children, and reduce the burden on single mothers. The fiqh maxim lā yunkar taghayyur al-aḥkām bi taghayyur al-azmān provides the jurisprudential basis for such adaptation. Nevertheless, fundamental fiqh principles continue to recognise that maintenance obligations may be discharged through ibrā’ with the consent of the creditor. Accordingly, the implementation of e-Nafkah must strike a balance between ensuring family livelihood and respecting individual rights, thereby demonstrating the capacity of Islamic family law to adapt to contemporary realities without contravening syariah principles.
Keywords: Maintenance, Family Support Division (BSK), e-Nafkah, classical fiqh, maqasid syariah, ibrak
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