Mut'a is practiced in Shi'i Islam today, and is common in the modern Iran. It bears the main characteristics of prostitution, but gives clear rights to the woman, and involves little social degradation.
When a man and a woman enters into temporary marriage, or sighe as it is called in Iran, they make an irrevocable contract stating the period and the recompense to the woman. The period may vary from one day to weeks, months and even years. Still many make contracts lasting for 99 years, i.e. for life.
What size the recompense takes is unknown from our sources. The obligations for the man is limited to fulfilling the recompense. He is not obliged to provide neither home nor food for the woman.
But the contract needs no witnesses, nor any qadi, provided that the involved know the procedures.
Mut'a only allows a man to be the strong party, and non-Muslim men are not allowed mut'a. A Muslim man can however arrange mut'a even with a Jewish or Christian woman. In older times, mut'a could be arranged with a slave girl if the master allowed it. The woman can enter mut'a without the consent of others, but she must be unmarried. Virgins can only enter mut'a with the consent of her father.
A mut'a marriage cannot be automatically prolonged. If there is a wish to prolong the marriage, a new marriage must be contracted, with new recompense for the woman.
After the end of a mut'a marriage, the woman is quarantined before arranging a new mut'a marriage with another man, in order to see if she is pregnant or not. This period is generally set to 45 days. If there is a child, the custody passes to the man.
Some passages from Shi'i traditions indicate that mut'a is not only a worldly act. Hurru l-Amili indicate that "The believer is only perfect when he has experienced a mut'a". Other passages indicate that however has performed at least 4 mut'as is secured a place in Paradise.
When a man and a woman enters into temporary marriage, or sighe as it is called in Iran, they make an irrevocable contract stating the period and the recompense to the woman. The period may vary from one day to weeks, months and even years. Still many make contracts lasting for 99 years, i.e. for life.What size the recompense takes is unknown from our sources. The obligations for the man is limited to fulfilling the recompense. He is not obliged to provide neither home nor food for the woman.But the contract needs no witnesses, nor any qadi, provided that the involved know the procedures.Mut'a only allows a man to be the strong party, and non-Muslim men are not allowed mut'a. A Muslim man can however arrange mut'a even with a Jewish or Christian woman. In older times, mut'a could be arranged with a slave girl if the master allowed it. The woman can enter mut'a without the consent of others, but she must be unmarried. Virgins can only enter mut'a with the consent of her father.A mut'a marriage cannot be automatically prolonged. If there is a wish to prolong the marriage, a new marriage must be contracted, with new recompense for the woman.After the end of a mut'a marriage, the woman is quarantined before arranging a new mut'a marriage with another man, in order to see if she is pregnant or not. This period is generally set to 45 days. If there is a child, the custody passes to the man.Some passages from Shi'i traditions indicate that mut'a is not only a worldly act. Hurru l-Amili indicate that "The believer is only perfect when he has experienced a mut'a". Other passages indicate that however has performed at least 4 mut'as is secured a place in Paradise.