20
In fact, there were and still are myriad customs specific to one or more cities
5 The marriage of Khosrow and
and areas, in particular rural regions. However, the basic outline given here is
Shirin by mobadan in the presence
common to most regions in Iran.
of Buzurjumid and Shapur. Mughal
There are two types of marriage possible in Islamic Iran: permanent (aqd-e nekah or aqd-e davam) and temporary (aqd-e movaqqat or sigheh). Before we discuss permanent marriage, just a few words on the concept of sigheh, which was
period Indian manuscript painting from an abridged version, dated 1139 ah (1726 ce), of the Khosrow and Shirin story in the Khamseh of Nezami
common practice and to a certain extent still continues. It is, in fact, a kind of legal prostitution – a formalised religious version of concubinage. Traditionally, the process of permanent marriage began with خواستگاریkhastegari, the request for a girl’s hand in marriage. The initiative was usually taken by a man’s mother and sister, or even – in the seventeenth century – by his male friends. More than half of all marriages were arranged to a cousin. This practice is far less common nowadays, although there are indications that it is on the rise again. Marriage within the family not only ensures a harmonious relationship between the spouses, it also keeps property within the same family. The bride and groom would not be strangers to one another, often having practically grown up together. Moreover, they would have known that they were eventually going to marry, and would have accepted if not acquiesced to this fact. However, as soon as the formal decision to wed two first cousins was made, the maiden was no longer allowed to visit the house of her future husband, as they were not supposed to have seen each other prior to marriage. 5
20
In fact, there were and still are myriad customs specific to one or more cities
5 The marriage of Khosrow and
and areas, in particular rural regions. However, the basic outline given here is
Shirin by mobadan in the presence
common to most regions in Iran.
of Buzurjumid and Shapur. Mughal
There are two types of marriage possible in Islamic Iran: permanent (aqd-e nekah or aqd-e davam) and temporary (aqd-e movaqqat or sigheh). Before we discuss permanent marriage, just a few words on the concept of sigheh, which was
period Indian manuscript painting from an abridged version, dated 1139 ah (1726 ce), of the Khosrow and Shirin story in the Khamseh of Nezami
common practice and to a certain extent still continues. It is, in fact, a kind of legal prostitution – a formalised religious version of concubinage. Traditionally, the process of permanent marriage began with خواستگاریkhastegari, the request for a girl’s hand in marriage. The initiative was usually taken by a man’s mother and sister, or even – in the seventeenth century – by his male friends. More than half of all marriages were arranged to a cousin. This practice is far less common nowadays, although there are indications that it is on the rise again. Marriage within the family not only ensures a harmonious relationship between the spouses, it also keeps property within the same family. The bride and groom would not be strangers to one another, often having practically grown up together. Moreover, they would have known that they were eventually going to marry, and would have accepted if not acquiesced to this fact. However, as soon as the formal decision to wed two first cousins was made, the maiden was no longer allowed to visit the house of her future husband, as they were not supposed to have seen each other prior to marriage. 5