Jurisprudence the Essentials of the Islamic Law

Jurisprudence the Essentials of the Islamic Law

Reliance on the Rule of Taḥāluf in Civil Litigation and the Challenge of Contradicting Certain Knowledge

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
Seyyed Abdul Rahim Hosseini
Associate Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Fundamentals of Islamic Law, Faculty of Law, Farabi College of University of Tehran, Qom, Iran
10.22059/jjfil.2026.201620.669918
Abstract
Determining the position and status of the parties in a lawsuit is a fundamental principle of adjudication, especially in civil cases. When the claimant and the defendant are simultaneously in a state of asserting a right while denying the other party’s claim, a situation of mutual accusation and contradiction arises, making it difficult to distinguish the plaintiff from the defendant. Among the procedural methods foreseen in this regard, based on the prevailing opinion, is the resolution of dispute through the application of the rule of Taḥāluf (mutual denial). This rule requires examination and analysis from various perspectives. The most significant jurisprudential challenge that arises in this context, due to the unity of the subject matter of the dispute and the falsity of one of the two presented claims, is the hypothesis that relying on the rule of Taḥāluf contradicts the scope of certainty’s authority and the judge’s ruling being at odds with reality. This article, while analytically examining the core theories presented to overcome this challenge, evaluates four theories: "The apparent ruling based on Taḥāluf, the supremacy of obligation over certain knowledge, the confrontation of certainty and obligation and the need for a weigh-master, and the necessity of Taḥāluf." After presenting criticisms, it strengthens a hypothesis based on which the supremacy of obligation over certain knowledge is established
Keywords
Mutual Accusation
Taḥāluf
Certainty
Obligation
Necessity
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Jurisprudence the Essentials of the Islamic Law
Volume 59, Issue 1
Spring & Summer 2026
September 2026
Pages 103-120