The Husband’s Qiwāmah and Its Impact on Coercion into Sexual Intercourse from the Perspective of Islamic Jurisprudence
Keywords:
Guardianship (qawwamiyyah), Right of Refusal (haqq al-habs), Consent, Sexual CompulsionAbstract
The intimate marital relationship naturally fulfills the sexual needs of both spouses and contributes to their tranquility and well-being. The importance of mutual consent and the absence of coercion in such relations constitutes a defining characteristic of a marital relationship that strengthens the family. Given that coercion sometimes occurs in marital relations, women generally suffer more serious harm as a consequence. The husband is regarded as having qiwāmah (marital authority and responsibility) over his wife; however, he must attain a sufficient level of personal and intellectual maturity to understand that qiwāmah does not justify coercion or domination. One of his responsibilities toward his wife is to create conditions conducive to tranquility and security within family life. Accordingly, he should seek to minimize coercion in all forms of marital relations, whether intimate or general, so that the family can serve as a secure environment for nurturing and personal development. From jurisprudential, legal, and psychological perspectives, principles and rights such as the prohibition of imposing undue hardship (ʿusr wa ḥaraj) on the wife and the wife’s right of retention (ḥaqq al-ḥabs), among others, restrict such coercion to some extent. Nevertheless, additional safeguards, including the legal regulation and criminalization of coercion by a husband in his relationship with his wife, are necessary to prevent the husband’s qiwāmah from becoming a basis for coercion in marital relations. This article employs a descriptive–analytical method and examines various dimensions and consequences of coercion in relations between spouses. An analysis of different jurisprudential sources, including both Imamī Shiʿi and Sunni jurisprudence, together with relevant legal grounds, can provide substantial arguments against coercion, establish the principle of non-coercion as a fundamental norm in marital relations, and render existing limitations more purposeful. Such an approach can contribute to achieving balance within the family, with the ultimate objective of reducing harm to the family.
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