ANALYZING PATA’GALA GALUNG (PADDY FIELD PAWNING) THROUGH THE LENS OF ISLAMIC ECONOMICS: A CASE STUDY IN BANGKALALOE VILLAGE, BONTORAMBA DISTRICT, JENEPONTO REGENCY, SOUTH SULAWESI

Abstract

This study examines the practice of pata’gala galung (paddy field pawning) in Bangkalaloe Village, Bontoramba District, Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, from the perspective of Islamic economics. It addresses three research questions concerning the operational mechanism of this customary practice, its conformity with the principles of classical fiqh al-muamalah, and the sharia-based reconstruction required to address identified legal and ethical deviations. A qualitative case study approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis involving eight purposively selected informants, with source triangulation used to enhance the credibility of the findings. The results reveal that: (1) pata’gala galung has been preserved as an intergenerational customary practice based on oral agreements without written documentation or clearly defined contractual periods; (2) the pledgee’s unrestricted appropriation of agricultural yields constitutes a form of riba khafi and conflicts with the principles of justice, transparency, and mutual benefit emphasized in Islamic commercial law; and (3) reconstructing this practice requires an integrated framework consisting of written contracts, clearly specified pledge periods, sharia-compliant profit-sharing arrangements, strengthened legal awareness among community members, and the establishment of village-based Islamic microfinance institutions as alternative financing mechanisms. This study contributes to the contextual development of fiqh al-muamalah by demonstrating how Islamic legal principles can be applied to reform customary agricultural transactions while preserving local traditions. It also offers practical recommendations for policymakers, village governments, religious leaders, and Islamic financial institutions in promoting more equitable and sharia-compliant rural financial practices.