Based on the religious and legal interpretations established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and in his book
Tahrir al-Wasilah, the age of nine is considered the age of maturity and marriage for girls.
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Key points regarding Khomeini and the age of marriage:
- Legal Maturity Age: Following the revolution, Khomeini's interpretation of Sharia law established the legal minimum marriage age at 9 lunar years for girls and 15 for boys, replacing the pre-revolution (Shah-era) legal age of 18 for girls.
- Marriage and Sexual Pleasure: Khomeini’s writings, specifically in Tahrir al-Wasilah, state that a husband cannot engage in sexual intercourse with a wife under the age of nine, but other forms of "sexual pleasures" (such as touching, hugging, and rubbing of thighs) are permitted even with a "suckling infant".
- Basis for Ruling: This age is based on specific Shia hadiths that Khomeini interpreted as the correct age of religious maturity, despite other traditions providing for older ages.
- Exceptions: While 9 is the legal threshold for girls, the civil code allows for marriage below this age with paternal or judicial permission.
It should be noted that in 2024–2025, a separate, controversial proposed amendment to the personal status law in
Iraq sought to lower the legal marriage age for girls to 9, drawing heavily on these Shia interpretations.