SUNAT PEREMPUAN DALAM ISLAM NUSANTARA: NEGOSIASI TRADISI, LEGITIMASI RELIGIUS DAN KEKERASAN BERBASIS GENDER

Abstract

This study investigates the dynamics, cultural-theological negotiations, and recontextualization of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) practices in Jember Regency. This issue demands urgent examination due to the high prevalence of FGM/C among infants aged 0–11 months, which directly conflicts with the national policy advocating for the total eradication of all forms of non-medical female genital modification. Utilizing a qualitative approach with an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design, primary data were gathered through collaborative Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and digital-based rapid surveys involving health policymakers, religious organization cadres, and traditional practitioners. This was further reinforced by a critical documentation study of religious texts and positive law regulations. Data analysis was systematically executed through thematic-phenomenological stages, framed by Michel Foucault’s power relations analytical lens. The findings reveal that the persistence of FGM/C at the grassroots level is perpetuated by a patriarchal "regime of truth" that constructs myths regarding the control of female sexuality and requirements for spiritual purity. However, through the relational structure of idhafah (the annexation of two nouns in Arabic) within Islam Nusantara (li, fi, and min Nusantara), this study formulates an emancipatory "Alternative Fiqh." This formulation shifts the community paradigm from destructive physical circumcision toward total abolition in order to uphold the principles of maqāṣid al-syarī‘ah, specifically hifẓ al-nafs (preservation of life) and hifẓ al-‘ird (preservation of human dignity). The implications of this study underscore the necessity of pesantren-based theological deconstruction, cultural de-legitimization within majelis taklim, and the strengthening of local data registry systems to comprehensively implement Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024. Future research is suggested to expand the locus to map cultural resistance following the enforcement of national regulations in the Tapal Kuda  region.

Keywords: FGM/C, Islam Nusantara, Gender-Based Violence, Power Relations, Alternative Fiqh