Silent treatment between spouses requires clarification of its legal status, as a pause intended to regulate emotions and silence used to pressure a partner may appear similar but differ in purpose, implementation, and consequences. This study examines silent treatment and its status under Islamic law through Jamaluddin Atiyyah’s framework of Maqāṣid al-Usrah. It employs normative legal research with conceptual and maqāṣid approaches. Legal materials were collected through library research and analyzed descriptively. The findings show that assessing silent treatment requires consideration of its purpose, manner, and effects on marital relations. Temporary withdrawal from communication to regulate emotions and prevent escalation may support family welfare. Conversely, silence used to punish, hurt, or control a spouse conflict with mu‘āsyarah bi al-ma‘rūf and the Islamic objectives of family formation because it may cause psychological harm and undermine domestic tranquility. Therefore, its legal status depends on its purpose and consequences. It distinguishes constructive pauses from prolonged withdrawal that intensifies conflict and damages mutual trust.
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Nurhalimah et al. (2026) studied this question.
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