Criminal Legislation Structure in Islamic Republic of Iran

Sadati, Seyed Mohamad Mahdi

doi:10.22034/jclc.2026.2072929.1258

Criminal Legislation Structure in Islamic Republic of Iran

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Author

seyed mohamad mahdi sadati

Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

10.22034/jclc.2026.2072929.1258

Abstract

The Islamic Republic of Iran is founded upon two pillars: divine legitimacy and popular acceptance, with the theory of Velayat-e Faqih forming the cornerstone of its divine legitimacy. However, the absence of a sustained historical experience of Shia’s governance over many centuries, along with the predominantly modern nature of criminal law issues, has resulted in insufficient coherence in contemporary Islamic criminal jurisprudence. Institutionally, the structure of criminal legislation remains influenced by the secular legislative model inherited from the Constitutional era, while no systematic mechanism for continuous ijtihad in criminalization and punishment has been established. In the long run, this situation risks the gradual secularization of criminal law and its divergence from Islamic foundations.

Using a descriptive–analytical method, and drawing on theoretical studies, the semantic implications of Quranic concepts, the Sunnah, the opinions of Shia’s jurists, the interpretative views of the Guardian Council, and an examination of prevailing legislative practice, this article seeks to answer the following question: To what extent is the structure of criminal legislation in the Islamic Republic of Iran grounded in the principles of Shia’s jurisprudence and the requirements of the political theory of Velayat-e Faqih, and what structural deficiencies and contradictions have caused its deviation from Islamic principles and the Constitution?

The findings demonstrate that criminal legislation in practice faces serious institutional and conceptual contradictions. The main innovation of this study lies in expanding the Quranic concept of qazāʾ and showing that criminal legislation falls within its domain and is inherently juristic–governmental in nature. The analysis also highlights the role of the Guardian Council and the practical obstruction of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in criminal legislation.

The article concludes that the continuation of the current structure is incompatible with both Shia’s jurisprudential foundations and the requirements of Velayat-e Faqih. A fundamental revision of the structure of criminal legislation, based on collective, transparent, and accountable ijtihad, is therefore necessary to preserve religious legitimacy and ensure the effectiveness of criminal law.

Keywords

Legislative deadlock

Criminal legislation

Secular law

Islamic criminal jurisprudence

Judicial bill

Subjects

Islamic Criminal Law

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