A Jurisprudential Examination of the Arguments for “Living Together with Kindness” as a Legal Principle

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Jameatozzahra

2 hozeh

10.22081/jf.2025.70015.2845

Abstract

If “living together with kindness” (mu‘āshirat bi-l-ma‘rūf) can be established as a jurisprudential principle, it would pave the way for resolving many emerging issues related to spousal rights. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method to examine the evidence supporting its status as a principle. The jurisprudential basis for the principle includes four Qur’anic verses, the most important of which is: āshirūhunna bil-maʿrūf (Live with them in accordance with what is right, Surah al-Nisa 4:19), which best aligns with the concept. The ambiguities in this verse that must be resolved include the meaning of ma‘rūf and the implication of the verb ‘āshirū. Among the four proposed meanings of ma‘rūf, the most suitable is “that which is recognized as good by custom,” which implies that ‘āshirū denotes obligation and is a binding command. While the addressee in the verse appears to be men, the meaning of the verb form (bab tafā‘ul), which indicates mutual cooperation, shows that both husband and wife are addressed. Furthermore, the verse makes “living together with kindness” obligatory from the time of the marriage contract. The next set of evidence is found in the verses that mention retaining with kindness. Although these verses generally support the idea of living together with kindness, they do not fully align with the principle. Secondly, the command to ‘live together with kindness’ in these verses pertains to the period following revocable divorces and does not include the period following the marriage contract itself.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

‘Amili, M. b. A. (1990). Nihayat al-Maram fi Sharh Mukhtasar Sharā’i‘ al-Islam (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Qom: Islamic Publications Office affiliated with the Society of Seminary Teachers of the Seminary of Qom. [In Arabic]
Alidoust, A. (2012). Fiqh and Reason (5th ed.). Tehran: Organization for Publishing by the Institute of Culture and Islamic Thought. [In Persian]
Al-Qadi al-Nu‘man al-Maghribi. (1965). Da‘a’im al-Islam (Vol. 2, 2nd ed.). Qom: Al al-Bayt Institute. [In Arabic]
Ayyashi, M. b. M. (2001). Tafsir al-‘Ayyashi (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Tehran: Ilmiyyah Press. [In Arabic]
Baydawi, A. b. U. (1997). Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta’wil (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi. [In Arabic]
Birjandi. (2011). Divine Knowledge, Advanced Quranic Exegesis Lecture.
Dehghan Simkani, R. (2014). The Ethical Use of Reason: A Study of the Views of Mulla Sadra and Qadi Abd al-Jabbar (1st ed.). Qom: Nashr-e Adyan. [In Persian]
Fakhr Razi, M. b. U. (1999). Al-Tafsir al-Kabir (Mafatih al-Ghayb) (Vol. 6, 3rd ed.). Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi. [In Arabic]
Fazel Lankarani, M. (2000). Tafsil al-Shari‘ah fi Sharh Tahrir al-Wasilah – Nikah (1st ed.). Qom: Jurisprudential Center of the Imams. [In Arabic]
Fazlollah, S. A. (1961). Advanced Jurisprudence Lecture. From: https://b2n.ir/pg5320
Feyz Kashani, M. (1997). Al-Asfa fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Qom: Islamic Propagation Office Publishing Center. [In Arabic]
Hakim, S. M. T. (1995). Al-Mustamsak al-‘Urwah al-Wuthqa (Vol. 12, 1st ed.). Qom: Dar al-Tafsir Institute. [In Arabic]
Hakim, S. M. T. (n.d.). Al-Usul al-‘Ammah li-l-Fiqh al-Muqaran (Vol. 1). Al al-Bayt Institute. [In Arabic]
Hedayati, M. (2016). The Relationship Between Fiqh and Ethics (1st ed.). Tehran: Negah Mo‘aser Publications. [In Persian]
Hilli, H. b. Y. (1991). Muntaha al-Matlab fi Tahqiq al-Madhhab (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Mashhad: Center for Islamic Research. [In Arabic]
Ibn Idris, M. b. M. (1989). Al-Sarā’ir al-ḥawi li-taḥrir al-fatawa (Vol. 2, 2nd ed.). Qom: Islamic Publications Office affiliated with the Society of Seminary Teachers of the Seminary of Qom. [In Arabic]
Ibn Shubah al-Harrani. (1984). Tuhaf al-‘Uqul (2nd ed.). Qom: Islamic Publishing Institute affiliated with the Society of Seminary Teachers in Qom. [In Arabic]
Javadi Amoli, A. (2019). Advanced Jurisprudence Lecture. From: https://b2n.ir/yp2824. [In Persian]
Khoei, A. (n.d.). Muhadarat fi al-Usul (Vol. 2). Electronic version, Fiqahat Library. [In Arabic]
Makarem Shirazi, N. (1991). Al-Qawa‘id al-Fiqhiyyah (Vol. 1, 3rd ed.). Qom: Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib Seminary. [In Arabic]
Mughniyah, M. J. (2000). Fiqh al-Imam al-Sadiq (Vol. 6, 2nd ed.). Qom: Ansariyan Publications. [In Arabic]
Najafi, M. H. (n.d.). Jawahir al-Kalam fi Sharh Sharā’i‘ al-Islam (Vols. 31 & 33, 7th ed.). Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi. [In Arabic]
Nazir Al-Jaish. (n.d.). Sharh al-Tashil al-Musamma Tamhid al-Qawa‘id bi-Sharh Tashil al-Fawa’id (Vol. 8). Dar al-Salam for Printing, Publishing, and Translation. [In Arabic]
Nobahar, R., & Hosseini, S. U. (2015). The Rule of “Ma‘ruf Interaction” in Spousal Relations. Family Research Quarterly, 11(41), pp. 53–72. [In Persian]
Qummi, M. A. (n.d.). Qawanin al-Usul (Vol. 1). Qadimah Lithograph. [In Arabic]
Sadr, S. M. B. (n.d.). Mabahith al-Usul (Vol. 4). Electronic version, Fiqahat Library. [In Arabic]
Sejestani, M. b. A. (1989). Nuzhat al-Qulub fi Tafsir Gharib al-Qur’an (1st ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Ma‘rifah. [In Arabic]
Shahrestani, S. M. H. (n.d.). Ghayat al-Mas’ul (Vol. 1). Digital copy, Fiqahat Library. [In Arabic]
Shahyari Heydarloo, Z., Khushsurat, A., & Jafarzadeh Kasiani, S. (2023). Explanation of the Concept of “Ma‘ruf” in the Verse “Consort with Them in a Ma‘ruf Manner” and Its Effect on Deriving the Rights of Spouses from Verse 19 of Surat al-Nisa’. Islamic Studies on Women and Family, 10(19), pp. 149–170. [In Persian]
Shaykh Kulayni. (1987). Al-Kafi (Vol. 6, 4th ed.). Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah. [In Arabic]
Shaykh Tusi, M. b. H. (1967). Al-Mabsut fi Fiqh al-Imamiyyah (Vol. 4, 3rd ed.). Tehran: Al-Maktabah al-Murtadawiyyah. [In Arabic]
Shaykh Tusi, M. b. H. (1987). Al-Khilaf (Vol. 4, 1st ed.). Qom: Islamic Publications Office affiliated with the Society of Seminary Teachers of the Seminary of Qom. [In Arabic]
Shaykh Tusi, M. b. H. (n.d.). Al-Tibyan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Vol. 3, 1st ed.). Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi. [In Arabic]
Shobeiri, S. J. (2020). Advanced Usul Lecture. https://b2n.ir/jx6794
Shubbar, S. ‘A. (1986). Al-Jawhar al-Thamin fi Tafsir al-Kitab al-Mubin (Vol. 2, 1st ed.). Kuwait: Maktabat al-Alfayn. [In Arabic]
Sobhani, J. (2016). Advanced Jurisprudence Lecture.
Tabari, M. b. J. (1991). Jami‘ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Vol. 4, 1st ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Ma‘rifah. [In Arabic]
Tabarsi, F. b. H. (1993). Majma‘ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Vol. 2, 3rd ed.). Tehran: Naser Khosrow Publications. [In Arabic]
Tabataba’i, S. ‘A. (n.d.). Riyad al-Masa’il fi Tahqiq al-Ahkam bi-l-Dala’il (Vol. 11, 1st ed.). Qom: Al al-Bayt Institute. [In Arabic]
Tabataba’i, S. M. H. (1996). Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an (Vol. 2, 5th ed.). Qom: Islamic Publications Office of the Seminary Teachers Society of Qom. [In Arabic]
Tabrizi, J. S. (1998). Masadir al-fiqh al-islami wa manabi‘uhu (Vol. 1, 1st ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Adwa’. [In Arabic]
Zanjani, S. M. S. (1998). Kitab al-Nikah (Vol. 9, 1st ed.). Qom: Raypardaz Research Institute. [In Arabic]

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 02 October 2024
  • Revise Date: 09 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 18 May 2025

Share

How to cite

Statistics