Analysis of the Nature of the Family Institution in Imami Jurisprudence and Iranian Law

The family is the oldest social institution known to mankind, nevertheless, the analysis of its nature is one of the complex and controversial issues among jurists, and it is disputed in the law of different countries. This research aims to explain the family with the focus on texts and sources of jurisprudence and law of Iran and examine the family as an independent entity. The research method is analytical-descriptive and data collection was done through library resources and it has a practical dimension as well in the field of law reform. The research findings indicate that Iranian jurisprudence does not recognize the independent legal personhood of the family, but it has considered it an independent nature and separate from its members. In other words, the family is an independent institution, therefore, it is said that the totality of the family is not equal to the sum of its parts, but this network is the continuous influence of the relations of the members, which add to the complexity of family identification. The result of this new approach is that the family has laws separate from the laws of its members, and some of them include: the right to privacy, the right to spiritual dignity, the right to support formation, consolidation and excellence, the obligation to preserve the family etc.