A Sociological Study of the Institution of Temporary Marriage in the Social History of Iran (From the Ancient Iran until the End of the Qajar Dynasty)

The institution of temporary marriage in the social history of Iran has been an established institution. However, it has had different forms and functions in different historical periods. Although temporary marriage has never been widely accepted by the general public, this institution has prevailed in Iran to this day. Therefore, the question of why temporary marriage has been created and has endured in the social history of Iran has remained unanswered. In the present paper, the institution of temporary marriage has been investigated using the functionalist model (based on the integration of functionalist theories developed by Bronislaw Malinowski and Robert Merton). The findings of the research were interpreted through a comparative-historical analysis method and based on historical writings and documents. The findings have been classified and explained into four historical periods. These periods are: “The Ancient Iran”; “From Early Islam to the Safavid Dynasty”; “From the Safavid Dynasty to the Qajar Dynasty”; and “the Qajar Dynasty”. According to the findings, based on the patriarchal culture of society, generally the institution of temporary marriage had responded in a legitimate way to individual needs such as sexual needs, reproduction, security and livelihood, and to social needs such as the issue of heritage, solidifying social relations and establishing social connections. Nevertheless, this institution has had dysfunctions and hidden functions which this paper addresses in a comparative way.