Re-examining the Jurisprudential and Legal Foundations of Immediacy and Deferral in Exercising the Option of Rescission of Marriage (Article 1131 of the Civil Code)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mahdi Miri ¹

Farzaneh Karami ¹

Gholamreza Yazdani ²

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Law, Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/jfiqh.2024.83850.1624

Abstract

The immediacy of the option of rescission in the marriage contract is accepted by the majority of Imāmī jurists and the majority position among Sunnī jurists. However, some later jurists have inclined toward deferral (tarākhī). Using a descriptive-analytical methodology, this study proposes a new approach to the question of immediacy and deferral in exercising the option to rescind a marriage, one that is responsive to contemporary standards. Under this approach, the holder of the option may rescind the marriage contract after a delay where justified grounds exist, provided that the relevant conditions and safeguards are observed. These include he existence of justified reasons for delay, the absence of a negative effect of delay on the rights of the husband and wife, and the absence of unacceptable delay. These conditions and regulations include the existence of justified reasons for delay, the absence of a negative effect of delay on the rights of the husband and wife, and the absence of unacceptable delay. To establish the permissibility of deferral several foundations have been considered, including the rationale behind legislating the option of rescission, reference to the will of the holder of the option, the inherent requirements of the marriage contract, the strengthening of the family system, the harmful consequences of accepting the immediacy approach, and the interpretation of the traditions of the ʾAhl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). In light of these considerations, adopting the approach of deferral in protecting the rights of the injured party can be used as one of the legal and Sharīʿa-based solutions for resolving marital problems in cases where rescission of the marriage contract is necessary, provided that the desirable conditions and regulations are observed.

Keywords

immediacy of the option

deferral in the option

rescission of the marriage contract

strengthening of the family system

Subjects

• Jurisprudence and family law

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