The Urgency of Restricting the Marriage Age in Preventing the Risk of Early Pregnancy: Analysis of Life Protection (Hifz al-Nafs) in Maqasid Al-Syari’ah

Restricting the age of marriage serves as a preventive measure to reduce the risks associated with early marriage and pregnancy. Early pregnancy can increase the risk of anemia, preeclampsia, hypertension, hemorrhage, preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), stunting, and maternal and infant mortality. This study aims to analyze the risks of early pregnancy to maternal and child health, the urgency of marriage age restrictions, and their relevance to the preservation of life (hifz al-nafs) within the framework of Maqasid al-syari’ah. The study employs a qualitative approach, utilizing library research and a normative legal analysis. Data were gathered through a documentary study of the Qur’an, Hadith, fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) texts, Maqasid al-syari’ah literature, Law Number 16 of 2019, books, journal articles, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data, and prior research. The data were analyzed using a descriptive-analytical method involving content analysis. The results indicate that setting a minimum marriage age of 19 for both men and women acts as a preventive measure to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy during high-risk periods. From the perspective of Maqasid al-syari’ah, this policy aligns with the principle of hifz al-nafs (preservation of life), as it aims to prevent harm and safeguard the health and safety of mothers and children. This relevance is reinforced by the prohibition against causing harm to oneself or others, the legal maxim that a leader’s policy regarding the populace must be based on public interest (maslahah), and the concept of preventing means that could lead to harm.