Farsi (فارسی)
Kurdish (کوردی)
Cohabitations in Iran
White marriage is a form of cohabitation of couples without adherence to Sharia or legal contracts which has emerged to adapt to the problems and respond to the requirements of the modern world. It is a form of marital life that is not officially registered.In cohabitations, the information about the agreement of the parties is not registered in any official document or legal office. While white marriage is not new in the world, it is reported to be a growing trend in the major cities of Iran. According to unofficial statistics, white marriage is proliferating in the big cities of Iran, but the secretive nature of this type of cohabitation has made it difficult to reach statistics.Because the relationship between men and women in Iran is defined to form on religious and customary norms, many government officials and the media are trying to conceal the spread of this lifestyle among the people and the youth. Marital relation, except in the form of permanent or temporary marriage, is considered illegal and a crime.Despite Islamic mandates and significant means to support and encourage young people to start a family, verbal planning and therapeutic teaching based on the sanctity of family formation and population growth are ineffective and insufficient in practice. Structural human needs are driving more and more white Iranian marriages. Iranian society has been subject to structural changes in recent decades, due to challenging economic situations, with recession and unemployment on the one hand, and the rise of modernity and altered values on the other. Therefore, the youth have discovered white marriage or cohabitation without legal requirements as a sensible solution to meet their social and personal needs. They are doing this to avoid the significant financial burden, social and legal obligations, and legal and social costs of traditional marriage. White marriage is growing especially among educated and university-educated young people who emigrated to the big cities for work and study.Important issues include changing the lifestyle and outlook of young people towards life and marriage, the right to freedom of choice and the right to the body, the problems and limitations of permanent marriage for women, economic constraints, the lack of suitable employment and aversion from religions, are among the reasons for the emergence, growth, and continuation of white marriage or cohabitation in Iran. Most Women who entered into this type of relationship tended to find an official marriage. It means white marriage in Iran is regarded as an approach to facilitate an official marriage and a way for getting to know each other before the official marriage. In the current situation, with a lack of economic support and difficult legal and social conditions, they had to accept the white marriage.This is while men were less inclined towards formal marriage or had no intention of marrying the person they were in cohabitation with.Sexual relations and the loss of virginity are important issues in the customs and religious beliefs that prevent women from marrying any type of person, thus limiting the circle of their choices. The cultural and religious significance of virginity means that cohabitation persists and the percentage of formal marriages decreases for people, especially women. Typically, rent or mortgage is an important issue in cohabitation, which is often agreed upon by the parties to be paid jointly.On the other hand, unlike the more traditional neighbourhood culture of the past, the apartment living culture, with its limited neighbourhood relationships and lack of recognition of people in units of a building, creates a form of anonymity that restricts the formal or informal socialization of couples and their form of the relationship remain unrecognizable to the surrounding neighbors.A House with an Open Door: A Comprehensive Research on Co-habitations in Iran is a research report that has been published for the first time in Iran. It investigates explicit and implicit aspects of this phenomenon at the macro level of the country with emphasis on the metropolises of Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan on a high volume of up-to-date data from the field. The full text and a brief version of this research report are available on this page. The influence of Western culture on the prevalence of cohabitations (aslo known as white marriage) in Iran has been a topic of discussion and observation. Traditional Iranian society has historically placed a strong emphasis on marriage as the primary institution for romantic relationships. However, the increased exposure to Western media, globalisation, economic, and changing societal norms have led to shifts in attitudes towards relationships and cohabitation. Western culture, with its portrayal of alternative relationship models and a more liberal approach to cohabitation, has sparked curiosity and interest among some young Iranians especially in the large cities. This influence, coupled with evolving perceptions of personal and sexual freedom and independence, has contributed to a gradual increase in cohabitation rates in certain segments of Iranian society in large cities. According to Iranian and Islamic law, sexual relationships outside of marriage are considered unlawful and can be subject to legal penalties and consequences. This includes cohabitation or “white marriage,” which refers to living together as a couple without being formally and islamically married. The Iranian Civil Code recognizes marriage as a legal contract between a man and a woman, and it provides the legal framework for marriage rights and obligations. Cohabitation outside of marriage does not have legal recognition or protection under Iranian law. Engaging in sexual relationships outside of marriage, including cohabitation, is generally considered a moral and social offence in Iranian society. While there may not be specific legal provisions targeting cohabitation, societal and cultural norms discourage such relationships.
White marriage is a sociological term and from the standpoint of customs, religion, and laws governing Iran, it is considered criminal and illegal behavior. Nonetheless, despite this and due to the growth of individual awareness and economic problems, it is expanding. the secretive nature of the government and its ideological and political sensitivities prevent reporting on the subject, and no statistics are available on this subject.
Statistics and information related to cohabitations in Iran
Transformations of Iranian society
Reasons for welcoming white marriage in Iran
Attitudes of men and women toward this type of marriage
What impact does Western culture and globalistion have on the prevalence of cohabitation in Iran?
What are the official regulations in Iran regarding white marriage or cohabitation?
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Introduction
Kameel Ahmady is a British-Iranian researcher working in the field of social anthropology, with a particular focus on gender, children, ethnic minorities, and child labour. Kameel was born in Iranian Kurdistan (also known as East Kurdistan). He obtained his Master’s degree in Social Anthropology and Visual Ethnography from the University of Kent, UK. His academic pursuits include specialized courses in Middle Eastern Politics and Research Methods from other British institutions. Known for studying harmful traditions, Ahmady serves as both a supervisor and developer for his teamwork research publications in Farsi, Kurdish, and English. In 2017, he was honoured with “Honour” prize by the UK based IKWRO organization at the University of Law in London. Subsequently, in 2018, at George Washington University, Global P.E.A.C.E. foundation bestowed upon him the “Literature and Humanities” award in recognition of his contributions to the field. Among his group works are titles such as ” Conformity and Resistance in Mahabad,” ” Another Look at East and Southeast of Turkey,” “In the Name of Tradition,” “A House on Water,” “The Echo of Silence,” ” Traces of Exploitation in Childhood,” and more….
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FAQ About White Marriage
- What are the advantages of cohabitations in Iran? Provision for financial needs, freedom from the burden of housing problems, responding to emotional and sexual needs, learning more about each other, being able to easily end the relationship in case of a wrong choice, finding a way for a right choice for permanent marriage, experiencing a form of cohabitation before permanent marriage, are among the reasons for the following for the introduction of a type of marriage.
- What are the disadvantages of white marriage in Iran? Lack of psychological safety for couples, hiding relationships from family and society, fear of revealing relationships, the possibility of violence and lack of legal protection due to fear of the consequences of being found guilty and accused of adultery, lack of legal protection, future of girls who leave marriage such as suffering from loss of virginity and its consequences, unwanted pregnancy, reduced sense of responsibility, lack of allowance for the wife, not taking the share and inheritance of the parties from each other in case of death of one side, issues with child custody, and difficulties obtaining birth certificates for potential children are often mentioned as disadvantages for cohabitations in Iran.
- Is there a punishment for White Marriage in the Iranian system of law? White marriage is illegal in the Islamic Republic of Iran and is regarded as an illegitimate relationship that is punishable as adultery (Article 221 of the Islamic Penal Code). Additionally, the parties will face the severe punishment of being stoned as adulterers if either one or both of them are married to another person and engage in such a relationship.
White marriage can be a challenging situation for individuals involved, as it often lacks the emotional and romantic aspects that are important for a healthy, fulfilling relationship.
In some cultures, white marriage is a temporary arrangement, and couples may eventually transition into a more traditional marriage once certain conditions are met.
It’s important to understand that white marriage is not a one-size-fits-all concept and varies widely based on cultural norms, personal choices, and individual circumstances.
White Marriage can refer to a marriage where the couple lives together but does not have sexual relations or emotional intimacy, often due to societal or cultural pressures.