Puspa Melati Wan, evelynd@fis.unp.ac.id Evelynd, Miza Izwanis Mangsor
This research explores the post-divorce experiences of Minang Muslim women from Indonesia and Malaysia, examining the ways in which culture, religion, agency, and social support intertwined. Based on semi-structured interviews with four divorced Minang women, the authors presented narratives summarizing their experiences. The results indicated that the matrilineal system and Islamic ideals of Muslim Minang culture play a crucial role in supporting women to handle divorce with resilience and self-respect. Based on the principles of agency theory, women exhibited self-determination by actively making decisions to improve their own lives as well as the lives of their family members. The notion of social support explicated the importance of emotional, informational, esteem, network, and material support in the post-divorce experiences of these women. The internalization of Islamic teachings and practices, along with the presence of mosque communities, serves as a source of spiritual strength, moral direction, and a sense of inclusion. Their testimonies emphasized the significance of empathy, comprehension, and female empowerment within Minang culture, strengthened by the ethical guidance and communal assistance provided by Islam. These findings also highlight the need to consider religious support as one of the categories in understanding resilience and empowerment post-divorce among Muslim women. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia; Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia; Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
