Interpretation of Marriage Law Determination: An Analysis Study of the Adult Age of Marriage in Indonesia

This study addresses the implementation challenges of Indonesia’s Law No. 16 of 2019, which amended Law No. 1 of 1974 regarding marriage. The previous law set minimum marriage ages at 19 for men and 16 for women; the 2019 amendment raised the minimum age for women to 19, standardizing it for both sexes. A key issue highlighted is that this legal age limit may not fully account for the necessary biological, sociological, and other preparations essential for marriage, despite the aim of legal reform to protect family integrity. The research specifically focuses on the implications of this minimum marriage age from the perspective of Islamic law. Using a qualitative, descriptive-analytical library research method with an Islamic law approach, the study examines the differing views on the concept of maturity for marriage. The findings indicate that while the previous age of 16 for women was often considered adolescence in terms of overall maturity, the new legal age of 19 for both men and women is generally regarded as adulthood and deemed prepared for initiating family life within the framework of Islamic law.