Female Breadwinners and the Shifting Paradigm of Family Livelihoods in Indonesia

This article explores the concept of family sustenance (al-nafqah) in classical Islamic jurisprudence, examining it both textually and contextually. It then relates this concept to the phenomenon of female breadwinners in Indonesia. In fiqh studies, the ideal concept still points to the dominance of the husband as the family breadwinner, a notion considered irrelevant today. However, Indonesia’s statistics show a high number of married women in this role. Consequently, the modern-era gap in family economic fulfillment has shifted in terms of rights and obligations. While most studies on female breadwinners in Indonesia have analyzed the phenomenon from the perspectives of family sociology, gender, and economics, few have linked it to the normative-ethical framework of Islam. Fazlur Rahman’s Double Movement theory is rarely used to interpret contemporary family income issues. This study bridges the gap between classical Islamic discourse and contemporary social realities in the cultural-practical realm. This normative study is based on a literature review of primary data sources, including Quranic verses related to family livelihood and leadership (e.g., Quran Chapter An-Nisāʾ [4:34]), classical and contemporary interpretations, and the major works of Fazlur Rahman, which form the theoretical foundation of the research. Secondary data were obtained from the 2025 Statistical Data Catalogue for Indonesia (Central Statistics Agency) on the BPS website. The collected data were analyzed using a contemporary interpretive model with a double-movement hermeneutic approach. The results of this study illustrate a shift in financial support from fiqh-oriented to fiqh-priority based on Quranic texts with universal values that aim to fulfill family needs through the dominance of the husband’s financial support. This shift occurred despite the past context being influenced by geographical factors and the patriarchal, particularistic, socio-cultural nature of the Arab nation. In the context of the modern family, however, the role of the wife as a breadwinner is necessary for cooperation between spouses in response to an increase in family members, to minimize gender discrimination, and to improve access to employment and reduce the wage gap. Therefore, Muslim families can realize the method of understanding the text of al-nafqah using universal values such as justice, compassion, trust, equality, deliberation, and protection, which has proven relevant in the modern era. The study contributes to developing a new family structure grounded in religious values that is more inclusive of gender role dynamics in the modern era

Contemporary society · Islam · Livelihood · Normative · Phenomenon · Social phenomenon · Sustenance · Gender and Women's Rights · Marriage and Family Dynamics · Marriage and Sexual Relationships