From Pluralism to Unification: The Transformation of Marriage Law in Indonesia Before and After the 1974 Marriage Law
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65310/sgpg6987Keywords:
Marriage Law, Legal Pluralism, Legal Unification, Family Law Reform, Child Protection.Abstract
This study examines the historical transformation of marriage law in Indonesia from a plural legal structure inherited from the colonial period to a unified national legal framework established through Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage. Employing a non empirical qualitative approach based on library research, the study analyzes primary legal sources including Law Number 1 of 1974, Government Regulation Number 9 of 1975, Government Regulation Number 10 of 1983, the Compilation of Islamic Law of 1991, Law Number 16 of 2019, and Constitutional Court Decision Number 22/PUU XV/2017. Secondary sources consist of scholarly publications addressing legal pluralism, family law reform, gender equality, and child protection. The findings demonstrate that the 1974 Marriage Law constituted a fundamental shift from fragmented legal regimes based on religion and social classification toward a national system emphasizing legal certainty, marriage registration, monogamy, and equal legal standards. Subsequent reforms strengthened administrative regulation and expanded protection of women and children. Despite these developments, challenges concerning interfaith marriage, customary communities, legal pluralism, and human rights continue to influence the contemporary development of Indonesian marriage law.
Downloads
References
Al Kadumi, F., Seff, N., & Hakim, A. (2024). The Reconstruction of Islamic Family Law in Indonesia: A Normative-Comparative Analysis of Gender Justice and Legal Modernity. ASEAN Journal of Islamic Studies and Civilization (AJISC), 1(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.62976/ajisc.v1i1.1404
Amri, A., Ansar, L., Al Jauhari, S., Arifin, M., & Makkarateng, M. A. Y. (2026). Negotiating Legal Pluralism: Managing Tensions between Islamic Law and Customary Law in Muslim Marriage Practices in Papua, Indonesia. Justicia Islamica, 23(1), 221-252. https://doi.org/10.21154/justicia.v23i1.12404
Anhar, M. R. M. (2026). The Legal Implications of Indonesian Positive Law On The Rights and Obligations of Husband and Wife in Mixed Marriage. Estudiante Law Journal, 8(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.33756/eslaj.v8i1.34440
Bunyamin, B. (2026). Legal Certainty of Interfaith Marriage in Relation to Civil Registration Legislation as an Effort to Develop Indonesian Marriage Law. Journal of Social Research, 5(4), 1334-1355. https://doi.org/10.55324/josr.v5i4.3067
Busriyanti, B., Pujiono, P., & Chamdan, U. (2025). Marriage Law Reform in Indonesia A Maqasid Al-Usrah Perspective on Legal Adaptation. Al-Istinbath: Jurnal Hukum Islam, 10(2), 631-649. https://doi.org/10.29240/jhi.v10i2.12739
Constitutional Court Decision Number 22/PUU-XV/2017. (2017). Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia.
Dalimunthe, D., Harahap, N. K., Azizah, N., & Siregar, S. (2026). The Relevance Of Marriage Regulation In The Indonesian Civil Code To The Development Of National Marriage Law. Sahaja: Journal Sharia and Humanities, 5(1), 27-37. https://doi.org/10.61159/sahaja.v5i1.798
Farid, M., Taufan, R., & Pratama, R. (2026). Ulama, Bureaucrats, and Legislators: Political Negotiations in the Making of Marriage Law No. 1 Of 1974: Ulama, Birokrat, dan Legislator: Negosiasi Politik dalam Pembuatan Undang-Undang Perkawinan No 1 Tahun 1974. Dame Journal of Law, 2(1), 75-98. https://doi.org/10.64344/djl.v2i1.90%20
Hadjar, N. (2025). The Transformation of New Men in Realizing a Sakinah Family and Its Implications for Family Law Reform in Indonesia. SMART: Journal of Sharia, Traditon, and Modernity, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.24042/smart.v5i1.20019
Hafis, M., Syafitri, J., & Nelli, J. (2026). Pluralism and Justice in Islamic Inheritance Law: Contextualization and Harmonization of Sharia Principles with Indonesian Social Realities. Jurnal Hukum dan Peradilan, 15(1), 31-58. https://doi.org/10.25216/jhp.15.1.2026.31-58
Hartanto, D. A., Harahap, B., & Hastuti, L. T. (2025, December). The Validity of Marriages Between People of Different Religions According to Statutory Regulations and Religious Law from the Perspective of Justice. In 3rd International Conference on Law, Economics & good Governance (ICLAW 2025) (pp. 669-686). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-519-5_53
Ibnudin, I., Sugianto, S., Kholiq, A., Aziz, A., Yani, A., & Hariyanto, H. (2025, June). Reconstruction Interfaith Marriage Law in Indonesia: Relevance of Sociology Knowledge and Maqasid Sharia. In Al-Risalah: Forum Kajian Hukum dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan (Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 70-86). https://doi.org/10.30631/alrisalah.v25i1.1819
Jalil, D., Fariduddin, E. I., & Yasir, M. F. Q. (2024). Pancasila Perspective Marriage System: Harmony of National Values in Family Institutions. Mizan: Journal of Islamic Law, 12(2), 128-138. https://doi.org/10.32832/mizan.v12i2.20381
Kennedy, A. (2025). Legal Compliance of Indonesian Marriage Law With The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lex Prospicit, 3(1), 42-56. https://doi.org/10.19166/lp.v3i1.8937
Kurniasih, U., Kosim, K., & Setyawan, E. (2026). Interfaith Marriage And The Dilemma Of National Legal: A Comparative Analysis Of Religious Identity And Human Rights. JIHK, 8(1), 33-46. https://doi.org/10.46924/jihk.v8i1.414
Mohsi, M., Romli, M., Zakaria, S., & Fudholi, M. (2025). Harmonizing Legal Pluralism in Marriage Laws: Policy Challenges on Child Marriage in Madura. Al-Ahkam: Jurnal Ilmu Syari’ah dan Hukum, 10(2), 100-118. https://doi.org/10.22515/alahkam.v10i2.11048
Muhyidin, M., & Setyawan, B. (2025). Legal Unification And Pluralism In Customary Marriage Registration: Lessons From The Baduy Indigenous Community. Masalah-Masalah Hukum, 54(3), 462-485. https://doi.org/10.14710/mmh.54.3.2025.462-485
Mu'in, F., Santoso, R., & Hasan, Z. (2024). The Urgency of Reforming Marriage Laws and Compilation of Islamic Law Entering the 5.0 Era. KnE Social Sciences, 294-301. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i2.14988
Rahmatullah, L., & Suhendra, A. (2025). Miniature of the Pancasila Family: An Analysis of Interfaith Marriage Practices among the Tengger People and Their Implications for Indonesian Family Law. Islam Transformatif: Journal of Islamic Studies, 9(2), 186-201. https://doi.org/10.30983/islamtransformatif.v9i2.9956
Republic of Indonesia. (1974). Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia of 1974 Number 1, Supplement to State Gazette Number 3019).
Republic of Indonesia. (1975). Government Regulation Number 9 of 1975 concerning the Implementation of Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia of 1975 Number 12, Supplement to State Gazette Number 3050).
Republic of Indonesia. (2019). Law Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage (State Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia of 2019 Number 186, Supplement to State Gazette Number 6401).
Resty, M. E., & Fithriyyah, M. U. (2026). Social Institutions and State Policy in Indonesia’s Interfaith Marriage Regulation. AL-MANHAJ: Jurnal Hukum dan Pranata Sosial Islam, 8(1), 115-134. https://doi.org/10.37680/almanhaj.v8i1.8641
Santosa, T. A., Khairazi, F., Ahmad, J., & Yul, W. (2026). Islamic Legal Politics in Islamic Family Law Legislation in Indonesia: An Analysis of the Marriage Law. Indo Green Journal, 4(2), 204-211. https://doi.org/10.31004/green.v4i2.181
Syaifuddin, M. I., Syamsiyatun, S., & Dhewayani, J. (2025). Encouraging Unity in Diversity via Marriage: The Stories of Interfaith Couples and Their Negotiations with State Obligations in Same-Faith Marriages. Al-Ahkam: Jurnal Ilmu Syari’ah dan Hukum, 10(2), 170-190. https://doi.org/10.22515/alahkam.v10i2.12581
Umar, N., Mawardi, I., Tsuji, A., & Haryanti, T. (2023). Reproduction of Islamic Law in The Era of Globalization and Pluralism. Jurnal Hukum dan Peradilan, 12(3), 629-654. https://doi.org/10.25216/jhp.12.3.2023.629-654
