Keputusan Childfree dalam Masyarakat Muslim Kontemporer

Tinjauan Maqashid asy-Syari’ah terhadap Hak Individu dan Tanggung Jawab Sosial

Abstract

The childfree phenomenon, referring to the decision not to have children within marriage, has become increasingly prominent in contemporary Muslim societies. This choice is often driven by personal considerations such as lifestyle freedom, economic conditions, or mental health. However, from the perspective of Islamic family law and Maqashid al-Shari'ah, this decision is not merely an individual right, but also relates to social responsibility and the values preserved by the Shari'ah, particularly hifz al-nasl (protection of progeny). This article aims to examine the childfree phenomenon through a Maqashid al-Shari'ah approach in order to assess the extent to which such a decision can be justified within Islamic legal frameworks. The method employed is a library-based normative study, analyzing classical and contemporary fiqh literature as well as maqashidi discourse. The findings indicate that while Islam recognizes individual autonomy in life choices, a permanent decision to remain childfree may conflict with the objectives of the Shari'ah, especially the aim of preserving lineage and ensuring the continuity of the Muslim community. On the other hand, childfree decisions may be conditionally accepted under certain circumstances such as necessity or valid Shari'ah-based reasoning. Therefore, a balanced and proportional approach is needed to evaluate the life choice of being childfree among modern Muslims, reconciling personal rights with broader social and religious responsibilities.