The position of influential clergymen in judicial modernization and codification of civil law in the first Pahlavi era

During the previous periods of Iran`s judicial system, sages and clergymen always had the position to judge. The matter became more serious after shi`ism became official in Safavid period. After Pahalavi dynasty took the power, modernization penetrated all aspects and elements of the country; consequently, the traditional judicial system based on conventions and religious law was not protected against modernization. Such changes in the official and executive structure of the country resulted in reactions from people and, especially, sages and clergymen, specifically in the judicial system where Shia clergymen traditionally used to consider their own responsible for judging. As Pahlavi government took an approach to steer clear of a religious judicial system and turn to a conventional judicial system, it faced more resistance from them. The present article seeks to reveal what special campaign those who were influential in renovating the judicial system had and how that ended to the codification of civil law based on Jafari jurisprudence.