Shi’i Islam uses pragmatics over dogma when it comes to Sharia Law. Zaidi and Jafa’ri Shias allow you to combine worship times because of how difficult life can be, and several major Sunni scholars studied under Shias, which had a noticeable impact on their interpretation of law and scripture–particularly in the Hanafi school.
One of Shi’ism’s progressive steps is the allowance of the “temporary” marriage. Originally, this practice was allowed to help soldiers away from home be married to women travelling with the army, and therefore avoid the sin of fornication. However Sunnism viewed the practice as unacceptable to longterm morals, and barred it. Shi’i schloars argued that being human means you need sex. And if you need sex, you need to be married to have it. So a temporary marriage by contract is a necessity for to fulfill human needs–unless the girl is a virgin.
Iran, with it’s beautiful women, pleasant climate, and ancient, sophisticated culture and civilization, chose to become Shi’i in 1501, with the crowning of 15 year old Shah Ismail I
Shah Ismail is shown here battling Abul Khayr Khan
(“Yekh Safavi”). Ismail’s father had been a Shi’i Sufi from Azerbaijan. Ismail’s Sufi background jived well with the progressive thought of Jafari Shi’ism, and thus Sigheh, the temporary marriage became vogue.
