Reconstructing Justice in the Utilization of Pawned Rice Fields: An Empirical Study from the Perspective of Sharia Economic Law in East Lampung, Indonesia

Abstract

Rice-field pawning remains a common form of community-based financing in East Lampung, Indonesia, where agricultural land is pledged as collateral to meet urgent economic needs. However, the utilization of pledged land by the murtahin may create an imbalance in rights, obligations, risks, and economic benefits when the arrangement lacks clear contractual boundaries. This study aimed to analyze the utilization of pawned rice fields from the perspective of Sharia economic law and to formulate a reconstruction of justice governing the relationship between rahin and murtahin. A qualitative field research design was employed in Purbolinggo District, East Lampung Regency. Data were collected through field observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation and analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, supported by source and technique triangulation. The findings revealed that rice-field pawning was predominantly based on oral agreements and customary practice, with the murtahin controlling and cultivating the land and receiving agricultural yields until the debt was repaid, while contractual duration, benefit allocation, and utilization mechanisms remained unclear. The proposed reconstruction emphasizes restoring rahn to its debt-security function, separating the loan agreement from land-utilization arrangements, establishing a definite contractual period, strengthening written documentation, and regulating agricultural benefits proportionately. The study concludes that these mechanisms provide a more balanced framework for protecting both parties, strengthening contractual certainty, and aligning rice-field pawning with Sharia economic law.