Moreover...

Moreover, the followers of these faiths can, in the following cases, act as they have been instructed by their own religions: Performance of religious rites Religious education or upbringing Individual duties Specific religious procedures such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, framing of wills, etc.

Furthermore, in a region in which any one of the mentioned Schools has the majority of followers, the execution of the local regulations is observed, within the authorities invested on the local councils, in accordance with the beliefs of the majority, while the rights of other religious followers are also respected.

Now, in order to further clarify the matter, we will quote the twelfth article of the first chapter of the Islamic Republics Constitution, which deals with this matter: The official religion of Iran is Islam of the Twelver Ja`fari School and this article is inalterable in perpetuity.

The other sects of Islam, including the Hanafi, the Shafi`i, the Maliki, the Hanbali and the Zaydi, are regarded with full respect and the followers of these sects enjoy complete freedom in performing their religious rituals according to their own jurisprudence and with respect to their religious instructions, personal status (including marriage, divorce, inheritance and framing of wills) and the causes relating thereto are considered to be official in courts of law.

In every region where the followers of any of these sects enjoy a majority of the particular sect, the local regulations will be formulated according to the precepts of jurisdiction of the councils of that region with the assurance that the rights of the followers of other sects will be respected. Back Index Next Previous…