Journal of Contemporary Islamic Law

The establishment of the baby hatch invites conflict and misunderstanding among the Muslim community in Malaysia. They perceive the existence of a baby hatch as a new way to encourage adultery. The community’s negative perception of the establishment of the baby hatch was followed by some rather ambiguous legal issues related to the legitimacy of its establishment. In fact, its practice received various reactions and problems. The related legal provision in Malaysia and syarak pertaining to the baby hatch implementation is analyzed, to figure out to what extent of its permissibility by law and syarak. The analysis of the data obtained shows that the existing laws are not specifically related to baby hatch. Even the various laws involved indirectly depend on the issues associated with baby hatch implementation. Among them are the issue of parental and guardian negligence, abandonment of babies and acts of individual leaving the baby in the hatch from legal view. Meanwhile, the validity of its implementation according to Islamic law and the certainty of its needs, is derived from the rules of maqāṣid and the preservation of al-dharuriyyāt al-khamsah.

Keywords: Baby hatch, baby dumping, Malaysian laws, syarak

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