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The phenomenon of the “Sandwich Generation” (SG) in Indonesia, where individuals of productive age (30-40 years old) bear a double financial burden—supporting the needs of their children and immediate family (furu') while also supporting their elderly parents (ushul)—has become a widespread social and financial challenge. This pressure, exacerbated by inadequate income and low financial literacy, forces 94% of SG respondents to set aside their personal interests. This dilemma calls for a clear Sharia analysis of the priority scale of financial support. This article aims to analyze the SG maintenance dilemma through the Qawa'id Fiqhiyyah (Fiqh Principles) framework to establish a hierarchy of financial obligations. The two main principles used are Al-Farḍu afḍalu mina an-Nafli (Absolute Obligation takes precedence over Sunnah) and Al-Wājib lā yutrak illā liwājibin (An Obligation cannot be abandoned except for another Obligation). Fiqh analysis shows that the resolution of priority conflicts is based on the classification of the legal status of the recipient of alms, distinguishing between absolute obligations (Adami rights, contractual) and conditional obligations (wajib zhanni, Allah's rights). Key findings establish Sharia priorities in conditions of limitation: Self, Wife and Children (Absolute Obligations), Parents (Conditional Obligations), Siblings/Relatives (Sunnah/Nafl). This priority is established to protect the nuclear family unit as the foundation of society, in line with Maqāṣid ash-Sharīʿah (Sharia Objectives).

This literature study examines the construction of cultural identity through socio-economic practices in plantation ecosystems among the Acehnese, Malay, and Chinese communities in Indonesia. Using a systematic literature review of 42 selected sources (1990-2023), the research reveals that plantations function as sites of identity negotiation—dynamic arenas of cultural adaptation and resistance. In Aceh, the integration of Islamic values (zakat [alms] from plantations, meunasah education) and local wisdom (peusijuek rituals) mediates post-conflict reconciliation and identity transformation from "combatants" to "farmers" (Muchlis et al., 2023; Aulia et al., 2024). For the Malay community, the customary-territorial concept of bela kampung (communal defense) underpins resistance to authority fragmentation through gotong royong (mutual cooperation) and communal land allocation (Yunanda et al., 2024; Nasution et al., 2024). Meanwhile, the Chinese community develops invisibility strategies (e.g., land acquisition via family foundations, citizenship aliases) to convert legal marginalization into clan-based social capital (Irawan, 2016; Thung, 2018). Key findings highlight divergent identity sources: religiosity (Aceh), customary-territoriality (Malay), and clan social capital (Chinese). The study recommends integrating local wisdom into inclusive plantation policies and employing ethnographic approaches to examine identity intersectionality complexity.