<![CDATA[This study examines how demographic factors interact in shaping marital satisfaction and reinterprets these empirical relationships through the perspective of contemporary Islamic family law in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Indonesia. The study employs a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, in which quantitative analysis is first conducted to identify significant interactions among demographic variables, followed by qualitative interviews to interpret and explain the relational patterns identified in the quantitative findings. The analysis identifies thirteen significant demographic interactions associated with marital satisfaction, indicating that marital satisfaction cannot be adequately understood through individual demographic characteristics alone but is shaped by the intersection of social, cultural, economic, and religious factors. Qualitative findings further demonstrate that these interactions acquire meaning within local marriage practices and Islamic normative frameworks. In particular, formal marriage proposals (melamar/melakoq) and elopement (maling) constitute forms of local ‘urf whose implications for marital relationships are negotiated in relation to fiqh munākahāt, particularly the validity of the marriage contract, the role of the guardian (walī), mutual consent (riḍā), and the socio-religious legitimacy of marriage. Religious organizational affiliation also shapes expectations regarding spousal relationships and domestic roles, while the interaction of social status, occupation, and income reflects broader concerns of kafā’ah and distributive justice, particularly in relation to maintenance obligations (nafaqah). The findings demonstrate that marital satisfaction is not merely a demographic outcome but a multidimensional relational construct produced through the interaction of demographic conditions, local ‘urf, and Islamic legal-ethical principles. The study contributes theoretically by connecting empirical accounts of marital satisfaction with contextual interpretations of Islamic family law, and practically by providing an evidence-based foundation for developing Islamic family law that is contextual, adaptive, and responsive to the lived realities of Muslim families in NTB.]]>
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