Right of Bodily Autonomy and Its Interference with Marital Rights
Keywords:
Right to possession of the body, personal freedom, individual rights, marriage, marital rightsAbstract
The right of bodily autonomy is one of the fundamental individual rights, founded on the principles of human dignity, freedom, and physical independence, and it is recognized in various legal systems. This right, which is defined as the individual's absolute authority over their body and decision-making concerning it, comes into conflict within the domain of marital rights, particularly with obligations such as spousal compliance and the right to sexual relations. This article aims to analyze this conflict and delineate its scope and limitations by addressing the question: To what extent can the right of bodily autonomy interfere with marital rights and obligations in a legal system, and in the case of conflict, which right takes precedence? The findings of the study reveal that in the legal system of Iran, the right of bodily autonomy is implicitly acknowledged; however, it faces limitations within the framework of marital obligations. Specifically, the concept of compliance (tamkin) and the obligation to engage in marital relations can, in certain instances, contradict an individual's right over their own body. Marriage imposes certain limitations on bodily autonomy, yet these restrictions must be based on mutual consent and with respect for the human dignity of both spouses. The imposition of marital duties without regard for individual autonomy may lead to violations of fundamental rights and harm the institution of the family. This study emphasizes the necessity of balancing individual freedoms with marital rights and calls for a re-evaluation of the regulations related to this issue.
References
Alian Nezhadi, A. (1997). New Fatwas of the Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi.
Asefi, M., & Emami, H. (1984). Civil Law Course. Faslnameh Fiqh Ahl al-Bayt, 1(No. 31).
Badini, H., & Banshi, M. (2021). The Foundations of Human Rights Over One's Body; Explaining the Labor Theory and Proposing the Body Theory for the Body. Hoghooghi Dadgostari Journal, 85(113).
Emami, H. (1994). Civil Law. Tehran: Ketab Foroushi Eslamiyeh.
Emami, S. H. (2019). Family Law. Tehran: Eslamiyeh.
Jafari Tabar, H. (2007). Intellectual Property in the Philosophy of Intellectual Property Rights. Hoghoogh Journal, 37(2).
Katouzian, N. (2007). Property and Ownership. Tehran: Mizan.
Khomeini, S. R. (2005). Tawzih al-Masa'il (Vol. 2). Qom: Daftar-e Entesharat-e Eslami.
Mirkhani, E. (2000). A New Approach to Family Relations. Tehran: Safir-e Sobh.
Mohaghegh Damad, S. (2004). Qawa'ed Fiqh. Tehran: Markaz-e Nashr-e Olum-e Insani.
Naghibi Nia, A., Golkar, M., & Tabatabaei, M. A. (2015). An Analysis of the Subject Matter and Documentation of the Ruling on Cosmetic Surgery. Faslnameh Akhlagh-e Zisti, 5(16).
Pilvar, R. (2014). Philosophy, Right of Ownership. Tehran: Nashr-e Sahami Enteshar.
Rouzbahani, M. R., & Kavand Borujerdi, A. (2015). A Jurispudical and Legal Review of Gender Reassignment from the Perspective of Islamic and Western Scholars. Tehran: Ketab-e Ava.
Safaei, H. (2004). Persons and Incapacitated Persons. Tehran: Mizan.
Safaei, H., & Ghasemzadeh, M. (2024). Civil Law of Persons and Incapacitated Persons. Samt Publications.
Shoja'purian, S. (1994). Civil Liability Arising from a Physician's Error. Tehran: Ferdowsi Publications.
Shoja'purian, S. (2010). Physician's Contractual Liability to the Patient. Tehran: Ferdowsi Publications.
Tabataba'i, S. M. H. (1984). Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran. Qom: Nashr-e Eslami.
Tabataba'i, S. M. H. (1990). Tafsir al-Mizan. Qom: Mu'assasat al-Nashr al-Islami.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Zahra Karami (Author); Hassan Badini (Corresponding author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
