Strengthening the Institution of Marriage: A Systematic Literature Review to Address Divorce among Young Muslim Couples

Abstract

Divorce has become an increasingly prominent issue within Muslim societies and Muslim minority contexts, reflecting broader changes in family structures, gender relations, and legal governance. While Islam permits divorce as a last resort, contemporary scholarship suggests that marital dissolution is shaped by complex interactions between religious norms, state legal systems, and socio-cultural realities. Unlike previous reviews that primarily emphasize Islamic legal doctrines or country-specific evidence, this review provides an updated multidisciplinary synthesis integrating Islamic jurisprudence, psychosocial evidence, family systems perspectives, and policy implications. It also identifies methodological trends, knowledge gaps, and future research priorities that may guide scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in strengthening Muslim family institutions. This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of 42 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2020 and 2025 to synthesize recent research on divorce within Islamic contexts. Guided by the PRISMA framework, articles were retrieved from Taylor & Francis and ProQuest databases using predefined keywords related to Islamic divorce. Thematic analysis identified eight dominant themes: Islamic legal frameworks and divorce governance; gendered experiences and post-divorce vulnerability; early marriage as a precursor to divorce; psychological and mental health implications; intergenerational and family system effects; changing marriage norms; methodological trends; and implications for Islamic family policy. The findings reveal persistent gender inequalities, significant psychosocial and intergenerational consequences of divorce, and growing tensions between traditional Islamic family ideals and contemporary social transformations. Despite the expanding literature, notable gaps remain in integrating Islamic ethical principles with empirical research, addressing preventive strategies, and informing policy and practice. This review contributes by offering a comprehensive thematic synthesis and highlighting future research directions to strengthen Islamic family scholarship and support sustainable family well-being..