THE PHENOMENON OF ‘ABANDONMENT OF CARE’ IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF ISLAMIC ETHICS: A MORAL ANALYSIS OF A FATHER’S NEGLIGENCE TOWARDS FAMILY SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Abstract

The phenomenon of fathers' neglect of their family maintenance obligations is a pressing and increasingly prominent socio-legal problem; however, it is often only addressed through legal procedures without addressing the root of the ethical crisis behind it. This study offers a new analytical perspective by constructing neglect of maintenance as a form of "Abandonment of Care" (AoC) and analyzing it in depth through the lens of Islamic Ethics. This normative qualitative study uses a content analysis method on primary texts of Islamic Ethics, focusing on the principle of Mas'uliyyah (responsibility) and the Maqashid Sharia framework. The results show that AoC in the context of maintenance constitutes a serious violation of the Mas'uliyyah principle mandated by Sharia. Moreover, ethically, this neglect fundamentally contradicts the basic objectives of Sharia because it threatens the protection of life (Hifzh al-Nafs) through economic instability, harms the protection of offspring (Hifzh al-Nasl) through psychosocial and educational neglect, and violates the protection of property (Hifzh al-Mal) belonging to the entitled party. It was found that the AoC reflects a moral crisis that undermines the structure of Mizan (balance) and family justice. Therefore, this study concludes that Islamic ethics must be integrated as a primary foundation for addressing the issue of neglect of care, with an emphasis on reaffirming the father's role as the bearer of the Maqashid Sharia mandate.

  Keywords: Islamic Ethics, Abandonment of Care, Livelihood, Paternal Negligence,  Maqashid Sharia.