Modernization of Laws Governing Family Law

Mohammad  Izadi; Abast PourMohammad; Akbar  Bashiri

Authors

Mohammad Izadi Department of Private Law, Mar.C., Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2805-0125
Abast PourMohammad Department of Private Law, Mar.C., Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran Corresponding author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8044-3594
Akbar Bashiri Department of Private Law, Mar.C., Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5262-9172

Keywords:

dynamic ijtihad, gender equality, specialized family court, secondary jurisprudential rules, family mediation

Abstract

The institution of the family in Iran has undergone profound structural transformations; however, the laws governing it have not evolved in parallel with these changes. This study aims to identify comparative patterns of modernization, analyze gaps in Iran’s family law system, and examine the obstacles to legal reform. The study employs a descriptive-analytical and comparative research method, with data collected from library-based sources. The findings indicate that common-law and European legal systems have achieved modernization without a complete rupture from tradition through mechanisms such as no-fault divorce, shared parental responsibility, and the sharing of property acquired during marriage. In Iran, the family financial regime, child custody laws, and the model of the husband’s headship of the family remain substantially disconnected from contemporary social realities. Secondary jurisprudential rules, dynamic ijtihad, and constitutional principles provide significant capacities for legal reform. The principal obstacles can be classified into three areas: resistance arising from conservative interpretations, inefficiency within the judicial system, and the absence of sustained political will. Sustainable modernization can be achieved through constructive engagement with the internal capacities of Islamic jurisprudence and the legal system.

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