Educating Child Marriage Applicants: Designing an Islamic Pre-Marriage Education Framework

Abstract

Child marriage remains a persistent issue in Malaysia, raising concerns about the potential harm it poses to young brides and grooms. Statistics show a downward trend in child marriage in Malaysia every year. However, child marriage still occurs because the existing laws are not capable of preventing child marriage in absolute terms. Child marriage below the minimum age can be conducted with the approval of the relevant authorities. Since child marriage cannot be completely banned, actions must be taken to minimize the potential harms (mafsadah) that may affect children involved in this marriage. This study addresses the need for a specialized Islamic Pre-Marriage Education Module for children to mitigate these harms. The main objective is to develop a framework for this module, focusing on children's understanding of their rights within marriage and the measures they should take if the marriage brings harm to them. The methodology involves a qualitative case study design, utilizing document and content analysis of previous studies and existing pre-marriage modules. Findings highlight that child marriage negatively impacts various aspects of children's preservation of the aspect of al-kulliyat al-khoms. The improved module aims to educate children on their marital rights, mental and physical health, and financial management so that the potential harm can be rejected from them. This article emphasizes the necessity of this module to protect married children to ensure their well-being.