Gender Bias in Child Marriage Issues: Reconstructing Religious Discourse Based on Islamic Moderation

Abstract

Child marriage remains a critical issue in Indonesia and is often legitimized through gender-biased religious discourse. However, systematic analysis of how this bias is formed, reproduced, and institutionalized in religious texts and practices remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the formation of gender bias in religious discourse on child marriage and proposing a reconstruction framework grounded in Islamic Moderation and the maqasid al-shariah. Using a qualitative approach through a literature review and critical discourse analysis of religious texts, sermons, and academic sources, this study identifies three dominant patterns of gender bias: (1) the naturalization of women's domestic roles, (2) textual interpretations that equate puberty with marriageability, and (3) the moralization of girls' bodies. These patterns contribute to the normalization of child marriage and exacerbate vulnerabilities in girls' education, mental health, and socioeconomic well-being. This study offers a conceptual model for reconstructing religious discourse that promotes gender justice, child protection, and a welfare-oriented interpretation of Islamic teachings. These findings advance interdisciplinary religious studies and inform efforts to reform religious narratives in the contemporary Muslim public sphere.