RECLAIMING FAMILY VALUES IN MODERN SOCIETY: PLACING FUNCTIONAL MEANING ON THE HADITH OF MĀLIK IBN AL-HUWAYRITH

Abstract

The contemporary reality of society often neglects the significance of family life while prioritizing economic pursuits, religious endeavors, and missionary activities. As evident in the narrations, it disregard for Islamic values raises the relevance of recognizing the family's precedence over the imperative to engage in Islamic causes, as emphasized in the Hadith narrated by Mālik ibn al-Huwayrith. This study aims to extract the essence of the Hadith to address contemporary challenges in da'wah and religious deepening potential catalysts for family abandonment. This research method uses a qualitative approach with a hermeneutical model in data analysis; the research reveals that Mālik's allegiance, even posthumously, signifies his inclination to remain in the City of Hijrah for the advancement of Islam, a disposition the Prophet "rejected" by instructing him to return to his family. Despite Mālik's assumption about the Prophet understanding their yearning for their families, this sentiment was never explicitly articulated. Consequently, the Hadith underscores the virtue of being with one's family, emphasizing that journeys for religious enrichment or other purposes do not absolve the obligation to be with the family. Furthermore, the Hadith conveys that whatever is gained during the trip, whether knowledge or material possessions, rightfully belongs to the family left behind.