A Comparative Study of the Concept of “Ownership of What Is Owed in One’s Liability in the Legal Systems of Iran, Lebanon, and Egypt
Keywords:
Ownership of liability debt, extinction of obligations, comparative law, Iranian Civil Code, Egyptian Civil Code, Lebanese Code of Obligations and Contracts.Abstract
Ownership of what is in one's own liability (Mālikiyyat Mā Fī al-Dhimma) is one of the recognized modes of extinguishing obligations in which the dual capacity of creditor and debtor unites in a single person, thereby dissolving the obligatory relationship between the parties. The present study, employing a descriptive-analytical and comparative methodology, examines the concept, legal nature, conditions of formation, and effects of this institution across the legal systems of Iran, Lebanon, and Egypt. Iran's Civil Code recognizes this mode under Articles 264 and 300, treating the extinction as proportionate to the debtor's share of inheritance. Lebanon's Code of Obligations and Contracts of 1932, shaped by French civil law traditions, provides analogous rules with notable differences regarding solidary obligations and the protection of third-party rights. Egypt's Civil Code of 1948, drafted principally by Abd al-Razzaq Ahmad al-Sanhuri, adopts a more comprehensive framework in Articles 361 to 363, integrating both Roman-French and Islamic jurisprudential principles. The findings demonstrate that while the three systems share foundational premises, significant divergences exist regarding solidary obligations, the effects on sureties, exceptional cases, and enforcement mechanisms. The study concludes that Iran's legislature would benefit from drawing upon comparative insights to remedy existing legislative gaps.
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