Online Taaruf from the Perspective of Maqashid Syari'ah: A Case Study of an Instagram-Based Taaruf Platform in Birobuli Selatan, Palu Selatan District

Abstract

Digital communication has moved the search for a marriage partner onto social media, and Indonesian Muslims now conduct taaruf through Instagram and dedicated platforms, a practice whose conformity with Islamic law remains contested. This study examines the concept of online taaruf on Instagram, the understanding of that practice held by the people of Birobuli Selatan in Palu Selatan District, and the standing of the practice from the perspective of maqashid syari'ah. A descriptive qualitative case study was applied. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with seven informants, five of them community members who have undertaken or are undertaking online taaruf, the others a religious figure and a marriage counsellor at the Office of Religious Affairs. Two findings emerge. First, online taaruf in Birobuli Selatan is a process of introduction leading to marriage that begins on Instagram and continues within an application or a supervised communication group, moving through the exchange of biodata, question-and-answer sessions, nadzor, khitbah, and the marriage contract. The community distinguishes it firmly from dating and emphasises adab, openness, and third-party supervision while remaining alert to fraud and false identities. Second, the practice supports the five principal objectives of the sharia, namely hifz al-din, hifz al-nafs, hifz al-'aql, hifz al-nasl, and hifz al-mal, and carries an original ruling of mubah. Fulfilment of those objectives is not automatic. It rests on the method, the honesty, and the supervision applied, so that social media operates as a neutral instrument whose legal assessment follows the manner of its use.