---
product_id: 14313999
title: "Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East)"
price: "11508 kr"
currency: ISK
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 4
url: https://www.desertcart.is/products/14313999-law-of-desire-temporary-marriage-in-shii-iran-contemporary-issues
store_origin: IS
region: Iceland
---

# Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East)

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Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East) [Haeri, Shahla] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East)

Review: An authoritative account of a little-known practice - Law of desire is an excellent, scholarly account of the practice of temporary marriage among Shi'ite muslims. It shows, skillfully, how a temporary or "contractual" marriage provides a practical, realistic "solution" to the needs of men and women in Muslim society. It does not shy away from showing how cultural practices and social pressures can erode the position of women in these temporary marriages, which, although offering legitimacy to any children conceived, do not prevail over the chauvinism and misogyny which seem to be characteristic of many Muslim societies. It should be seen as a realistic, if flawed, solution adopted by the more progressive Islam of the shi'ite societies. It seems to be better utilized by divorced or widowed women to whom re-marriage would subject to long-term domination by a spouse. It does also allow a degree of autonomy and sexual freedom to such women that is strikingly absent in other Islamic societies. The author has provided a remarkably balanced view of mut'a and highlighted the diversity of practices within the Islamic world.
Review: Temporary Marriage / Live-ins,what's the difference? - I am not a muslim by birth and I haven't decided embracing Islam yet because of confusion arising from some facets such as the "Temporary Marriages" in Iran. I am a Filipina married to an Iranian with four kids. I believe that a female and a male marry each other to make their devotion for each other legitimate, permanent in the eyes of God and in the eyes of man. Through this legal marriage- a family shall be born. I am also very much aware that in the present generation there are couples who instead marrying each other ends up living-in-together which practically connotes temporary relationship. From this kind of relationship, no legitimate family- a wife, husband and children shall be recognize by God and the law of man. What comes out from this is simply a future confusion and doubts on the part of both the wife and husband and most especially the children. Justification of a temporary marriage is purely insanity--a front act for the phrase "LIVE-INS" and "INFIDELITY" as well as "ADULTERY" which usually is the cause of many broken families around the globe resulting to confused and problematic children of the society. If a marriage is temporary therefore the family this kind of marriage upholds is also temporary. Therefore, the existence of the childrens' total personality is a hoax. Will the author of this book please kindly tell me how I can convince myself to embrace Islam and the Iranian traditions and thinking if many put justice to polygamy. How could I explain this to my children if in your country--what is wrong turns out to be right? Thank you./Mrs. Honcelita Kazemi-Philippines.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #5,093,459 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #375 in Marriage Law (Books) #66,318 in Sociology (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 3.5 3.5 out of 5 stars (7) |
| Dimensions  | 6.12 x 0.74 x 8.98 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0815624832 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0815624837 |
| Item Weight  | 13.6 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 276 pages |
| Publication date  | November 1, 1989 |
| Publisher  | Syracuse University Press |

## Images

![Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61A5XAdCpiL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An authoritative account of a little-known practice
*by F***R on March 6, 2009*

Law of desire is an excellent, scholarly account of the practice of temporary marriage among Shi'ite muslims. It shows, skillfully, how a temporary or "contractual" marriage provides a practical, realistic "solution" to the needs of men and women in Muslim society. It does not shy away from showing how cultural practices and social pressures can erode the position of women in these temporary marriages, which, although offering legitimacy to any children conceived, do not prevail over the chauvinism and misogyny which seem to be characteristic of many Muslim societies. It should be seen as a realistic, if flawed, solution adopted by the more progressive Islam of the shi'ite societies. It seems to be better utilized by divorced or widowed women to whom re-marriage would subject to long-term domination by a spouse. It does also allow a degree of autonomy and sexual freedom to such women that is strikingly absent in other Islamic societies. The author has provided a remarkably balanced view of mut'a and highlighted the diversity of practices within the Islamic world.

### ⭐⭐ Temporary Marriage / Live-ins,what's the difference?
*by H***I on March 7, 2001*

I am not a muslim by birth and I haven't decided embracing Islam yet because of confusion arising from some facets such as the "Temporary Marriages" in Iran. I am a Filipina married to an Iranian with four kids. I believe that a female and a male marry each other to make their devotion for each other legitimate, permanent in the eyes of God and in the eyes of man. Through this legal marriage- a family shall be born. I am also very much aware that in the present generation there are couples who instead marrying each other ends up living-in-together which practically connotes temporary relationship. From this kind of relationship, no legitimate family- a wife, husband and children shall be recognize by God and the law of man. What comes out from this is simply a future confusion and doubts on the part of both the wife and husband and most especially the children. Justification of a temporary marriage is purely insanity--a front act for the phrase "LIVE-INS" and "INFIDELITY" as well as "ADULTERY" which usually is the cause of many broken families around the globe resulting to confused and problematic children of the society. If a marriage is temporary therefore the family this kind of marriage upholds is also temporary. Therefore, the existence of the childrens' total personality is a hoax. Will the author of this book please kindly tell me how I can convince myself to embrace Islam and the Iranian traditions and thinking if many put justice to polygamy. How could I explain this to my children if in your country--what is wrong turns out to be right? Thank you./Mrs. Honcelita Kazemi-Philippines.

### ⭐⭐⭐ Not Scholarly enough. Some details about the current`trees, nothing comparative or about the fores
*by F***I on January 16, 2016*

It does not satisfy my taste for a scholarly book, because it rarely (maybe never?) addresses the most important issue regarding marriage principle, i.e sex (the ismost intimate personal relationship) or a fundamental byproduct of any marriage (children and personal growth). it portrays enough detail to distinguish it from prostitution for a reasonable unbiased reader, but a great about what it is not. As a critical observer and a one-time practitioner, temporas.an honest sexual relationship between 2 consenting adults who agree on a consensual sexual relationship, with mutual obligation and rights. Thus marrying pre-puberty children for the sake of their parents convenience is NOT acceptable parenting. It is worse than a parent forcing her/his children to study engineering or pharmacy because the parent needs retirement income! (At least in this case, the child has SOME acquisience.) Similarly to marry a wife/carpet weaver can be seen as a a dishonest way to improperly circumvent labor-law. My conclusion on temporary marriage must focus oh 2 issues. Temporary AND marriages. It is counting the trees and forgetting the forest.

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*Store origin: IS*
*Last updated: 2026-01-31*