<![CDATA[The persistence of marital conflict and divorce raises questions about how Islamic family law can engage with locally embedded ethical traditions in strengthening family resilience. This study examines the role of Bugis-Makassar local wisdom in preventing divorce and analyzes its significance from the perspective of maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. Employing a qualitative approach that combines ethnography and phenomenology, the study draws on interviews and observations involving married couples who maintained or restored their marital relationships, couples experiencing marital conflict, and religious, customary, and community leaders in Gowa, South Sulawesi. Data were analyzed using Spradley’s ethnographic analysis assisted by ATLAS.ti 9. The findings show that sipakatau (mutual respect), sipakainge’ (mutual advice and correction), and sipakalebbi (mutual appreciation and honoring) operate as cultural mechanisms for sustaining communication, managing marital conflict, preserving mutual dignity, and strengthening spousal commitment. The study argues that these values constitute more than cultural heritage; they represent a locally grounded ethical framework that is substantively compatible with the pursuit of maṣlaḥah and the protection of family welfare within maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. By bringing Bugis-Makassar family ethics into dialogue with Islamic family law, this study contributes a contextual perspective to comparative Islamic law by demonstrating how universal Islamic legal objectives can be articulated through locally embedded normative traditions.]]>
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