Interpreting bulugh: enhancement of women’s rights through management of marriage within Salafi community in Wirokerten, Yogyakarta

Using in-depth interviews, objective observations, and group discussions, this article explores how Salafi Wirokerten women in Indonesia enhance their status and legal/human rights through marriage and interpretations of bulugh, thus bridging a connection between state law and their own manhaj (Islamic truth-seeking). Bulugh, or the level of maturity which women must achieve before entering into marriage, is found to enhance Salafi Wirokerten women’s legal status. Using their bulugh and the status they attain as a result, these women have gained entry into the legal system and worked with the government to enact policy regarding minimum age requirements for marriage. The authors imply that these results demonstrate the need to involve Salafi and other such Islamic groups in the enactment of laws that affect women’s rights in Indonesia.