Analisis Terhadap Peruntukan Penentuan ʻIddah dalam Enakmen UndangUndang Keluarga Islam Malaysia (A Critical Analysis on the Determination of ʻIddah in the Malaysian Islamic Family Law Enactment)

Abstract

Penceraian sering dikaitkan dengan ‘iddah; iaitu suatu tempoh pra-penceraian tertentu bagi isteri perlu menunggu sebelum berkahwin baru atau diruju’ semula oleh bekas suami dan juga suatu tempoh bagi bekas suami memberi nafkah ‘iddah kepada isterinya. Penentuan ‘iddah disisi Shariʻah ini sangat penting dan perlu diteliti bagi menjaga kemaslahatan isteri yang diceraikan semasa dalam tempoh ‘iddah. Walaubagaimanapun, berdasarkan kepada peruntukan Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam di setiap negeri didapati tiada garis panduan atau peruntukan undangundang yang khusus bagi rujukan pengamal undang-undang dan hakim dalam penentuan ‘iddah bagi seseorang wanita yang diceraikan. Jesteru, keadaan ini menjurus kearah interpretasi yang berbeza sehingga boleh menyebabkan perlaksanaan boleh dipertikaikan. Maka, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji dan menganalisis peruntukan undangundang dan perlaksanaannya dalam kes atau isu penentuan ‘iddah. Kajian ini juga bertujuan memberi kefahaman umum kepada masyarakat, pengamal undang-undang dan kehakiman akan kesan ketidakjelasan garis panduan secara terperinci terhadap penentuan iddah. Kajian ini mengadaptasi metode kualitatif dengan menggunakan analisis konten terhadap kes-kes yang berkaitan dengan penentuan ‘iddah untuk memahami isu ini dengan baik. Hasil kajian mendapati tempoh ‘iddah tidak diperjelas secara teliti ketika pembicaraan kes penceraian, penentuan tempoh tuntutan nafkah ‘iddah oleh orang awam dan pengamal undang-undang syariah hanya setakat tiga bulan dan kebanyakan kes bergantung kepada tuntutan pihak yang menuntut tanpa meneliti terlebih dahulu kondisi dan tempoh haid sebenar bagi ‘iddah wanita. Maka, kajian ini mencadangkan pembahagian ʻiddah secara komprehensif dan padat perlu dimasukkan sebagai seksyen dalam enakmen Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam dan penelitian pada keadaan wanita harus dititikberatkan oleh pihak peguam cara dan hakim sebelum Mahkamah menetapkan sebarang keputusan penentuan ʻiddah. Maka, moga kajian ini membantu dalam menambah baik penghakiman penentuan ʻiddah di Malaysia agar lebih efektif dan sesuai dengan tuntutan Syariah.

Kata kunci: ‘Iddah, nafkah ‘iddah; hakim; pengamal undang-undang; Enakmen Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam

Abstract

Divorce is often associated with ‘iddah; a waiting period for the wife before a new marriage or ruju’ being made by the former husband and a period for the former husband to provide nafaqah for his wife. Determination of ‘iddah in Islam is very crucial to safeguard the welfare of divorced wives during the period of ‘iddah and need to be scrutinized and well determined. However, in the reality there is absence of specific guidelines in provisions of Islamic family law in determining ‘iddah for a divorced woman for law practitioners and judges resulting the provisions had interpreted distinctively and has lead its implementation to be criticiz Therefore, the study aims to analyse the related provisions and its implementation in determining ‘iddah for a divorced wife. In addition, this study also aims to provide an insight to the community in general and practicioners in particular about the adverse effect of unclear and uncertain guideline on determining of ʻiddah. This study adopted qualitative content analysis which addressed and focused on related document concerning determination of ʻiddah cases for better understand this issue. The findings showed that the duration of ‘iddah period was not clarified during the divorce proceedings, the determination of the period of nafaqah is limited for only three months and the judgment relied solely on the claims without first indentifying the menstruation’s condition of the divorced women. This study suggests a comprehensive and precise classification of ʻiddah should be included as a section in the enactment of Islamic family law and the determination of women’s condition should be considered by the lawyers and court before taking any decision. Therefore, it is hoped that this study may help to improve the existing judgment in Malaysia in producing effective decisions of ʻiddah determination which in line with Sharīʻah.

Keywords: ‘Iddah, nafaqah ‘iddah; judges; law practitioners; Malaysian Islamic Family Law Enactment