Shi’ites justify temporary marriage, mutah, by their reading of Qur’an 4:24: “And all married women except those whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful to you are all beyond those mentioned, so that you may seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those whom you enjoy, give them their shares as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what you do by mutual agreement after the duty. Indeed, Allah is ever-knower, wise.”
While Sunnis ostensibly reject this practice, it is rising among Saudis and in Egypt.
“Iran’s Temporary Marriage Law Traps Women in Legal Limbo,” by Zhivar Sarvandi, Iran Wire, August 21, 2025 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Leila thought she had found a simple solution to her post-divorce loneliness when a married man proposed a ‘sigheh,’ Iran’s religiously approved temporary marriage.
Three years after divorcing her unemployed husband, the mother of two daughters entered what she believed would be a brief, inconsequential relationship.
Now, she faces possible imprisonment and the collapse of her remarriage because of a legal document she cannot retrieve.
“I had no idea that the sigheh contract in that man’s possession could have legal consequences for me,” said Leila. “I asked him to return the contract and settle everything peacefully, but he refused.”
Iran’s temporary marriage law, under Article 1075 of the Civil Code, places women at greater legal risk while enabling men to maintain extramarital relationships without consequences.
The practice, rooted in Shia jurisprudence, allows couples to marry for predetermined periods with specified dowries. But religious law also means that women’s subsequent relationships can be deemed criminal.
When Leila’s ex-husband found work and asked to reconcile, she agreed on the condition that he maintain steady employment.
They remarried officially, but the uncanceled sigheh contract hangs over their relationship like a legal sword.
Under Islamic law, her new marriage is void because the temporary marriage was never formally dissolved, rendering her “eternally forbidden” to her current husband.
“If my husband finds out, or if that person reveals the matter, I will have to divorce my husband again, wait through the mandated period, and then remarry him,” Leila explained. “I could also face imprisonment and fines. If my husband learns I was still under sigheh, everything will fall apart.”
The man who holds her sigheh contract, however, faces no legal consequences….
Hoi Polloi says
Just imagine; islam provides its brutal actors with yet another Godless means to entrap and enslave women.
Troybeam says
Islam: a double edge sword for women.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Robert
The claim that mutah marriages are on the rise in Egypt and Saudi Arabia seems dated, at least from the links that you provided – from 2012 and 2009. Lot has changed since then, and I’d be surprised if the people of these 2 countries are still doing it
I also wonder to what extent do the Iranians – particularly the ones who have abandoned islam – still practice it?
gravenimage says
Infidel, why the assumption that Muslims in Egypt and Saudi Arabia no longer practice Islam?
Here’s an aritcle on its being on the rise in Saudi Arabia from 2021:
https://thearabweekly.com/saudi-arabia-confronts-rise-misyar-marriage-changing-society
And this, from Egupt from 2013:
https://zawia3.com/en/unofficial-marriage-in-egypt/
Walter Sieruk says
That Islamic tyranny of Iran is based on Islam with its Sharia is, very much, anti-female towards both girls and women.
Sharia supports forcing females to wear the borka or hijab are demeaning and degrading to females , both girls and women.
Likewise, the borka or hijab is one of the many aspects of the oppressive misogyny of Islam.
Furthermore, a scholar of Islam had revealed the disturbing horrible truth in her book “Control of behavior and disregard for human life are key elements in Islam ideology.” Furthermore, the author also exposed that `” Women is Islam are considered unclean, deemed inferior even to dirt.” [1]
[1] THEY MUST BE STOPPED by Brigitte Gabriel, pages 171,172.
Walter Sieruk says
That brutal cruel oppressive misogynistic tyrannical Islamic regime of Iran is based on Sharia which denies basic human rights is viciously harsh oppressive to girls and women. For
Islam’s Sharia supports forcing females to wear the borka or hijab which is a symbol of the misogyny of Islam with its Sharia.
As for the Muslims who have the Islamic goal to make
Regarding Sharia, it should be made known that the actual origin of Sharia. It had been revealed in a Time –Life book with the title MESOPOTAMIA: THE MIGHTY KINGS copyright 1995 ” For that future history book about the ancient pagan world of Mesopotamia informs the reader that “many Islamic laws resemble the Babylon and Assyrian forebears.” . page 150.
Therefore, Sharia is of pagan origin and therefore has no value or worth.
Walter Sieruk says
It should never be forgotten that the heinously cruel and murderous Islamic tyranny of Iran is very brutal and vicious to the Iranian people. Especially regarding females. Both girls and women.
As observed in That vicious murder of Mahsa Amini is very sad and tragic and that horrendous evil of her being murdered is because of the oppressive vicious brutal cruel and deadly misogynistic Islamic regime of Iran.
That action of male Muslim who are officials murdering defenseless, helpless women in cold blood is a heinous and hideous has occurred before and if that murderous Islamic regime isn’t overthrown such wicked killing will continue
Another example of such callous despicable heartless anti-female evil is when a teenage girl in Iran was talking to her boyfriend on the phone and then the Islamic state “police” walked over to her and shot her dead. They did that wicked and malicious thing to her because she was talking to her boyfriend, and they also didn’t like her clothing. [1]
That was a clear-cut case of murder and vicious Islamic madness by Iran’s Islamic state “ police”, who call themselves the “Revolutionary Guards”, they got away with their hideous and malice –filled evil because the mullahs as well as other villains in power in that tyrannical Islamic regime
[1] A TIME TO BETRAY by Reza Kahlili page 240
David Anderson says
A lot of the horrors of Islam are totally unknown to the population at large.
Like I reported here: https://jihadwatch.org/2024/07/kindergarten-jihad-who-plays-the-beheaded
gravenimage says
Yep…
OLD GUY says
Why any women or girl outside a muslim country would want to have anything to do with Islam is beyond my comprehension . Women under Sharia law are basically slaves and and in many cases are treated like a EWE.
gravenimage says
Islamic Republic of Iran: Temporary marriage traps women in legal limbo
…………………………………………….
This is what Muslim mean whn they say Islam is pro-marriagee…