The Reform of Muslim Women’s Rights in the Marriage Law of Indonesia and Malaysia

This article explores the development Islamic family law and the reforms that have been made to keep the law in line with the conditions of Muslims in each country. The study conducted revealed that Indonesian and Malaysian marriage laws have given Muslim women in both countries positions closer to equal with men, but when viewed from a human rights and gender equality perspective, the marriage laws are still significantly lacking. The article begins with a historical overview of legal reforms in Muslim-majority countries before doing a deep dive in to the marriage laws of the two countries in order to draw comparisons. The author concludes that in order for further progress to be made in the marriage laws of these countries, the perspective of the majority of Muslims must be shifted: namely to the view that changes to Islamic family law that improves the condition of Muslims, especially women, is not a deviation from Islamic teachings.