Matin Research Journal

Matin Research Journal

Suspension in Inshāʼ and Suspension in Munshaʼ: An Approach Based on Imam Khomeini's Perspective

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyyed Mohammad Asadi Nejad 1
Morteza Barzegar Golestan 2
1 Associate Professor, Department of Law, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
2 Ph.D. Candidate in Private Law, Department of Law, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
10.22034/matin.2025.433781.2235
Abstract
Suspension (taʻlīq) in contracts is among the most challenging issues in Imamiyyah jurisprudence and civil law. Despite the conceptual distinction between "suspension in inshāʼ" (suspension in the act of creation/enactment) and "suspension in munshaʼ" (suspension in the object/effect of creation), the precise criteria for its validity and invalidity remain in need of fundamental scrutiny. Adopting an analytical-critical method and relying on libraryــbased sources ــ including the most significant jurisprudential and legal ــ theoretical texts, particularly Imam Khomeini's Kitāb al-Bayʻ and the views of Shaykh Anṣārī ـ this study aims to elucidate the theoretical foundations of these two types of suspension and to establish the preferred position based on Imam Khomeini's perspective.
The findings indicate that Imam Khomeini adopts an approach divergent from that of Shaykh Anṣārī, who regards suspension in munshaʼ as valid and suspension in inshāʼ as impossible. From Imam Khomeini's viewpoint, suspension in munshaʼ necessarily entails an actual, unconditional transfer of ownership (tamlīk) concurrent with a suspended ownership at a single moment ــ which, due to the co-existence of two contradictory ownerships in one instant, is rationally impossible (muḥāl). Moreover, a complete enactment (inshāʼ) that produces no effect in the event of the condition's non ــ fulfillment constitutes a kind of contradiction in the very nature of inshāʼ. In contrast, Imam Khomeini considers suspension in inshāʼ as feasible in the realm of legal construction (iʻtibār) in the form of a "preliminary agreement" (tawāfuq-e muqaddamātī), whereby the parties may agree prospectively on the future creation of a legal relationship without carrying out a final enactment. This type of suspension is compatible with the conventional/constructive (iʻtibārī) nature of contracts and has the capacity to be recognized as a legal institution within the contractual system.
The preferred position adopted in this research is the validity of suspension in inshāʼ and the invalidity of suspension in munshaʼ, as expounded by Imam Khomeini through a rational-jurisprudential (uṣūlī-ʻaqlī) approach grounded in the principle of the impossibility of the co-existence of contradictories (istiḥālah-ye ijtimāʻ-e naqīḍayn). This perspective can serve as a key to resolving many legal challenges concerning conditional/suspended contracts and may provide a basis for revising the relevant provisions on contracts in the Civil Code.
Keywords
Suspension in inshāʼ
Suspension in munshaʼ
Suspended Contract
Imam Khomeini
Shaykh Anṣārī
Imamiyyah Jurisprudence
Contract Law
Subjects
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Matin Research Journal
Volume 28, Issue 110
Spring 2026
Pages 33-56