Women's Leadership, Sharia Law, and Society 5.0: A Review of Istibsyaroh's Thoughts
Authors: Alfiyah Nur , Barizi Ahmad , Kawakip Akhmad Nurul , Muhammad Adamu Abubakar 
Published: January 2025

Women's leadership in the era of Society 5.0 is still a contentious issue, especially regarding gender justice, the interpretation of sharia law, and the demand for adaptation to modern technological developments. This research focuses on presenting the leadership thinking of Istibsyaroh, a female pesantren figure from Jombang, and analyzing its relevance in addressing leadership challenges in the Society 5.0 era by emphasizing the importance of local and cultural perspectives in the context of global leadership. A qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical method is applied through a literature review of Istibsyaroh's works, insights, and contributions, as well as an analysis of the concept of women's leadership in sharia law and Society 5.0. This analysis reveals the relationship between the qualifications of ideal leaders in the era of Society 5.0, the Islamic perspective on women's leadership, and Istibsyaroh's thoughts. In her conclusion, Istibsyaroh asserts that women have the right to hold political positions (in the context of leadership) as long as they adhere to Islamic sharia; because there is no evidence that explicitly (sarih) prohibits women's leadership in politics and government. From her critical review of the Mawdu'i tafsir study on the differences in scholarly views regarding women's political rights and leadership, it can be concluded that Islam provides space for women to engage in politics and take leadership roles. Istibsyaroh's leadership thinking, as an influential female Islamic cleric, offers a model that emphasizes the synergy between Islamic values, gender justice, and adaptive skills to technology and global dynamics, making it relevant to answer complex leadership challenges in the era of Society 5.0.Abstrak: Kepemimpinan perempuan di era Society 5.0 masih menjadi isu yang diperdebatkan, terutama terkait keadilan gender, interpretasi hukum syariah, dan tuntutan adaptasi terhadap perkembangan teknologi modern. Penelitian ini berfokus pada penyajian pemikiran kepemimpinan Istibsyaroh, seorang tokoh perempuan pesantren dari Jombang, dan menganalisis relevansinya dalam menjawab tantangan kepemimpinan di era Society 5.0 dengan menekankan pentingnya perspektif lokal dan budaya dalam konteks kepemimpinan global. Pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif-analitis diterapkan melalui kajian literatur terhadap karya, wawasan, dan kontribusi Istibsyaroh, serta analisis terhadap konsep kepemimpinan perempuan dalam hukum syariah dan Society 5.0. Analisis ini mengungkap keterkaitan antara kualifikasi pemimpin ideal di era Society 5.0, perspektif Islam tentang kepemimpinan perempuan, dan pemikiran Istibsyaroh. Dalam kesimpulannya, Istibsyaroh menegaskan bahwa perempuan berhak menduduki jabatan politik (dalam konteks kepemimpinan) selama mereka berpegang teguh pada syariat Islam; karena tidak ada dalil yang secara eksplisit (sarih) melarang kepemimpinan perempuan di bidang politik dan pemerintahan. Dari tinjauan kritisnya terhadap kajian tafsir Mawdu'i mengenai perbedaan pandangan ulama mengenai hak-hak politik dan kepemimpinan perempuan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Islam memberikan ruang bagi perempuan untuk terlibat dalam politik dan mengambil peran kepemimpinan. Pemikiran kepemimpinan Istibsyaroh, sebagai Ulama Islam perempuan yang berpengaruh, menawarkan model yang menekankan sinergi antara nilai-nilai keislaman, keadilan gender, dan keterampilan adaptif terhadap teknologi serta dinamika global, menjadikannya relevan untuk menjawab tantangan kepemimpinan yang kompleks di era Society 5.0.