Reconstruction of Contract Theory in the Digital Economy: The Maqashid Sharia Approach to the Transformation of Electronic Contracts

Asep Risnandar; Oyo Sunaryo Mukhlas; Burhanuddin

doi:10.65049/ja9txq43

Authors

Asep Risnandar Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Indonesia Author
Oyo Sunaryo Mukhlas Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia Author
Burhanuddin Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65049/ja9txq43

Keywords:

Digital Contracts, Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, Islamic Contract Law

Abstract

Abstract: The rapid development of digital technology has fundamentally transformed economic transactions, giving rise to electronic contracts executed through digital platforms such as e-commerce, fintech, and blockchain. This transformation presents complex legal and ethical challenges for Islamic contract law (fiqh muʿāmalāt), particularly concerning contractual validity, consent, trustworthiness, and justice in digitally mediated agreements. This study examines how Islamic law responds to electronic and algorithm-mediated contracts through a maqāṣid al-sharīʿah approach. Using qualitative, normative, and conceptual analysis based on library research, the study explores classical contract theory, contemporary digital contracting practices, and the methodological relevance of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah in reconstructing contract theory. The findings demonstrate that Islamic law does not prohibit electronic contracts in principle, provided that the essential elements and conditions of a valid akad are fulfilled. Digital contracts are understood as a transformation in form rather than substance and may realise the ethical principles of riḍā (mutual consent), amānah (trustworthiness), and justice when transparency, informed consent, and accountability are ensured. Furthermore, smart contracts and algorithmic mechanisms are acceptable insofar as they function as technical instruments executing human intent and remain subject to ethical and legal safeguards. This study contributes a conceptual model of digital contracts grounded in maqāṣid al-sharīʿah, reinforcing the adaptability and ethical coherence of Islamic law within the evolving digital economy.

Keywords: Digital Contracts; Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah; Islamic Contract Law

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Al-Syatibi, A. I. (n.d.). Al-Muwafaqat fi Usul al-Shari‘ah. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah.

Al-Zuhaili, W. (1984). Al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu. Dar al-Fikr.

Auda, J. (2008). Maqasid al-Shariah as Philosophy of Islamic Law: A Systems Approach. International Institute of Islamic Thought.

Bank Indonesia. (2024). Blueprint Ekonomi Syariah Digital. Bank Indonesia.

De Filippi, P., & Wright, A. (2018). Blockchain and the Law: The Rule of Code. Harvard University Press.

Dusuki, A. W., & Abdullah, N. I. (2007). Maqasid al-Shariah, maslahah, and corporate social responsibility. The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 24(1), 25–45.

El-Gamal, M. A. (2006). Islamic Finance: Law, Economics, and Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Ibn ‘Ashur, M. T. (1946). Maqasid al-Shari‘ah al-Islamiyyah. Dar al-Salam.

Kamali, M. H. (2007). Shari‘ah Law: An Introduction. Oneworld Publications.

Kamali, M. H. (2011). Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (3rd ed.). Islamic Texts Society.

Kominfo RI. (2025). Laporan Ekonomi Digital Indonesia 2025. Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika Republik Indonesia.

Malkawi, B. H. (2019). Smart contracts in the context of Islamic finance. Arab Law Quarterly, 33(4), 307–325. https://doi.org/10.1163/15730255-12334023

Novianti, L. (2020). Prinsip Islam dalam Melindungi Hak Minoritas. Adiya: Jurnal Hukum dan Kemanusiaan, 14(2), 228–241.

Novianti, L. (2023). Pidana Mati Terhadap Tindak Pidana Terorisme di Indonesia Dihubungkan dengan Tujuan Pemidanaan dalam Perspektif Hukum Positif dan Hukum Pidana Islam. JSIM: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Pendidikan, 4(1), 50–70.

Novianti, L. (2024). Green Constitution dalam Mendorong Green Economy sebagai Pembangunan Inklusif Berkelanjutan. Gunung Djati Conference Series, 42, 1–10.

Nyazee, I. A. K. (2016). Islamic Law of Business Organization: Partnerships. Islamic Research Institute.

Otoritas Jasa Keuangan. (2024). Financial Technology Outlook 2024. Otoritas Jasa Keuangan.

Rahman, Z. A. (2019). Islamic ethics in electronic commerce. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 10(3), 841–856. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-12-2017-0139

Reed, C., & Murray, A. (2021). Law of Electronic Commerce. Oxford University Press.

Rejeb, A., Rejeb, K., Simske, S., & Treiblmaier, H. (2021). Blockchain technologies in Islamic finance: A review. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 12(7), 1107–1137. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-06-2020-0181

Tapscott, D., & Tapscott, A. (2018). Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin Is Changing Money, Business, and the World. Penguin.

World Bank. (2023). Digital Economy Report 2023: Building Trust in Digital Economies. World Bank.

Zuhayli, W. (2011). Financial transactions in Islamic jurisprudence. Islamic Law and Society, 18(3 4), 389–414. https://doi.org/10.1163/156851911X604177

Zulbaidah, Y., Yuniardi, H., Januri, J., Najmudin, N., & Cason, C. (2025). From traditional ʿurf to digital ʿurf: Accommodating the values of the young generation on husband–wife relations in the framework of uṣūl al-fiqh. Al-Istinbath: Jurnal Hukum Islam, 10(2), 784–808. https://doi.org/10.29240/jhi.v10i2.14630