Interpretation of Arabic Legal Terminology in Indonesia’s Religious Justice System: A Hermeneutic Perspective

Shofa Musthofa Khalid, Yusuf Ali Tantowi, Dzikra Alya Nurrahmah

Abstract


This study investigates the interpretation of Arabic legal terminology within Indonesia’s religious court system, where many court personnel lack formal Arabic proficiency. The research focuses on six key terms: ṭalāq [divorce], ḥaḍānah [custody], zinā[fornication], nusyūz [disobedience], fasakh [annulment], and waris [inheritance], which hold both linguistic and jurisprudential significance in Islamic law. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the study integrates two methods: a linguistic analysis of classical Arabic texts and fiqh references, and an experiential analysis based on an interview with a legal practitioner from the Class 1A Religious Court of Garut City. The findings reveal a transformation in meaning from classical Arabic roots to context-specific interpretations shaped by Indonesian legal culture, ethical values, and judicial procedures. Each term is not only translated but reinterpreted to reflect local norms, institutional requirements, and social responsibilities. This dual perspective demonstrates how legal language evolves through interaction between scriptural authority and lived judicial experience. The study contributes to Arabic linguistics, Islamic jurisprudence, and legal hermeneutics by offering a contextualized model of meaning construction within a pluralistic legal environment. It underscores the importance of linguistic competence, ethical sensitivity, and cultural awareness in the interpretation of Arabic legal terminology, particularly in multilingual Muslim societies.

Keywords


Arabic Legal Terminology; Hermeneutic Perspective; Islamic Law; Legal Hermeneutics; Religious Justice

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v8i2.83261

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