MAQASID SHARI’AH FOR ELDERLY COHOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

This paper presents the integrating elements of the principle of Maqasid Shari’ah in the context of elderly cohousing development in Malaysia. The concept of Maqasid Shari’ah, which refers to the objectives and goals of Islamic law, serves as a guiding framework for creating sustainable and inclusive living environments for the elderly population. The aging population in Malaysia is rapidly growing, necessitating the exploration of innovative solutions that address the needs for elderly to have an active living lifestyle. The findings proved that most elderly supported and agreed that the suggested cohousing development is beneficial towards the community, particularly the Muslim community. The study's objective is to find out Muslim's elderly views and support towards cohousing development for an active aging living. Primary data is collected from questionnaire distribution towards Muslim elderly in Selangor and Johor states in Malaysia. Qualitative data was collected from 641 respondents, and content analysis was applied to the interview data. The results indicate that the majority of respondents agreed on the suitability of cohousing development for Muslim elderly individuals with adherence to Maqasid Shari’ah governance. This research contributes to the emerging field of Islamic gerontology and presents a practical approach to designing and implementing elderly cohousing developments rooted in Maqasid Shari’ah principles.