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OBJECTIVE LIABILITY IN THE JORDANIAN CIVIL CODE AND ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

1. Introduction. – 2. Objective Liability in European Legislation: The French Mode. – 2.1. Fault as the Basis of Tortious Liability. – 2.2. Objective Liability in Civil Law Systems. – 3. The Objective Nature of Liability in Jordanian Law. – 3.1. Harm (Idrar) as the Basis of Liability in the JCC. – 3.1.1. Harm in the Explanatory Memoranda of the JCC. – 3.1.2. Harm According to JCC Commentators. – 3.2. Absence of the Description of Harm. – 3.2.1. Absence of Infringement on the Rights of Others. – 3.2.1. Defense of Necessity (Daf‘al-Darar). – 4. Consolidation of the Objective Concept of Liability for Harmful Acts. – 4.1. Liability of the Direct Doer (Mubashir) for Damage. – 4.1.1. Directness as the Most Prominent Application of Objective Liability. – 4.1.2. Legal Regime of the Direct Doer’s (Mubashir) Liability. – 4.2. Liability of the Indirect Causer (Mutasabbib). – 4.2.1. Conditions of Indirect Liability in Islamic and Jordanian Law. – 4.2.2. The Particularity of the Jordanian Civil Code. – 5 Conclusions.

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Background: This study examines the position of the Jordanian Civil Code (JCC) regarding the adoption of objective liability in the context of non-contractual liability, and the extent to which this legal regulation has been influenced by the provisions of Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary Western legislation, with the French Civil Code (FCC) as a model.

Method: The research adopted descriptive, analytical, and comparative methodologies, analyzing the provisions of the JCC and comparing them with those of the FCC to determine the extent to which the concept of objective liability is embodied in both legal systems.

Results and Conclusions: The research demonstrated that liability in tort in Jordanian law has an objective character that focuses on compensating for the damage suffered by the injured party rather than evaluating the conduct of the person causing the act (the element of fault), and that the JCC has consolidated this characteristic through the concept of “causing harm” and the liability of the direct perpetrator and the person causing the harm. Objective liability also takes multiple forms, such as the liability of the keeper of things and the principal for the acts of his subordinates. This legal regulation approximates the FCC's approach in some respects and differs from it in others, particularly regarding liability forms. The research recommends developing judicial jurisprudence to address damages arising from the use of modern technological means, such as artificial intelligence tools, and amending legal provisions to address the objective character of liability and expand the scope of compensatory protection.

Abstract

Background: This study examines the position of the Jordanian Civil Code (JCC) regarding the adoption of objective liability in the context of non-contractual liability, and the extent to which this legal regulation has been influenced by the provisions of Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary Western legislation, with the French Civil Code (FCC) as a model.

Method: The research adopted descriptive, analytical, and comparative methodologies, analyzing the provisions of the JCC and comparing them with those of the FCC to determine the extent to which the concept of objective liability is embodied in both legal systems.

Results and Conclusions: The research demonstrated that liability in tort in Jordanian law has an objective character that focuses on compensating for the damage suffered by the injured party rather than evaluating the conduct of the person causing the act (the element of fault), and that the JCC has consolidated this characteristic through the concept of “causing harm” and the liability of the direct perpetrator and the person causing the harm. Objective liability also takes multiple forms, such as the liability of the keeper of things and the principal for the acts of his subordinates. This legal regulation approximates the FCC's approach in some respects and differs from it in others, particularly regarding liability forms. The research recommends developing judicial jurisprudence to address damages arising from the use of modern technological means, such as artificial intelligence tools, and amending legal provisions to address the objective character of liability and expand the scope of compensatory protection.

About Authors

Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Hiari

PHD, Private Law, University of Jordan
in Amman, Jordan

a.hiari@ju.edu.jo

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3454-4848

Co-author, Core contributors (primary responsibility for writing – original draft, conceptualization, resources, project administration, and methodology).

 

Mahmoud Fayyad

PHD, Private Law, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates


mfayyad@sharjah.ac.ae

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4525-7876

Co-author, contributed to writing the English version, review & editing, methodology, and conceptualization.

 

Bashar Talal Momani *

PHD, Law, University of Khorfakkan, United Arab Emirates


bashar.momani@ukf.ac.ae 

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0451-2551

Corresponding author, responsible for literature collection, source review, methodology, and manuscript review & editing.

 

Zaid Muhmoud Agaileh

PHD, Private law, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates


zaida@uaeu.ac.ae

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9194-7659

Co-author, responsible for literature collection, source review, and manuscript review & editing.

 

Khaldoun Said Saleh Qtaishat

PHD, Private law, Private international Law, University of Jordan
in Amman, Jordan

k.qtaishat@ju.edu.jo

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1604-5775

Co-author, responsible for literature collection, source review, and manuscript review & editing.

 

Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

 

Disclaimer: The authors declare that the opinions and views expressed in this manuscript are free from any impact of any organizations.

Rights and Permissions

Copyright: © 2026 Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Hiari, Mahmoud Fayyad, Bashar Talal Momani, Zaid Muhmoud Agaileh, and Khaldoun Said Saleh Qtaishat. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Editors

Managing editor –Valentina Krivolapova. English Editor – Robert Reddin. Ukrainian language Editor – Lilia Hartman.

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АНОТАЦІЯ УКРАЇНСЬКОЮ МОВОЮ

 

Дослідницька стаття

 

ОБ'ЄКТИВНА ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНІСТЬ У ЦИВІЛЬНОМУ КОДЕКСІ ЙОРДАНІЇ ТА ІСЛАМСЬКІЙ ЮРИСПРЕДУКЦІЇ – ПОРІВНЯЛЬНЕ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ

 

Ахмед Ібрагім Аль-Хіарі, Махмуд Файяд, Башар Талал Момані*, Заїд Мухмуд Агайле, Халдун Саїд Салех Ктайшат

 

АНОТАЦІЯ

Вступ. У цьому дослідженні розглядається позиція Цивільного кодексу Йорданії (JCC) щодо утвердження об'єктивної відповідальності в контексті позадоговірної відповідальності, а також ступінь, до якого на це правове регулювання вплинули положення ісламської правової системи та сучасного західного законодавства, де за взірець було взято Цивільний кодекс Франції (FCC).

Методи. У дослідженні було використано описову, аналітичну та порівняльну методології для аналізу положень JCC та порівняння їх з положеннями FCC, щоб визначити, якою мірою концепція об'єктивної відповідальності втілена в обох правових системах.

Результати та висновки. Дослідження показало, що деліктна відповідальність у системі права Йорданії має об'єктивний характер, який зосереджений на відшкодуванні шкоди, завданої потерпілою стороною, а не на оцінці поведінки особи, яка спричинила діяння (елемент вини), і що йорданський Суд закріпив цей характер через концепцію «заподіяння шкоди» та відповідальність безпосереднього винуватця та особи, яка спричинила шкоду. Об'єктивна відповідальність також має кілька форм, таких як відповідальність зберігача речей та відповідальність довірителя за дії його підлеглих. Це правове регулювання наближається до підходу FCC у деяких аспектах та відрізняється від нього в інших, зокрема щодо форм відповідальності. Дослідження рекомендує розробити судову практику для вирішення питань шкоди, що виникла внаслідок використання сучасних технологічних засобів, таких як інструменти штучного інтелекту, та внести зміни до законодавчих положень, щоб врахувати об'єктивний характер відповідальності та розширити сферу компенсаційного захисту.

Ключові слова. Об'єктивна відповідальність, ісламське право, деліктне право, правова система Йорданії, європейське право, правова система Франції, порівняльне правознавство.

Keywords

  • Objective liability, Islamic Law, Tort law, Jordanian law, European law, French law, Comparative law

Publication history

  • DETAILS FOR PUBLICATION

    Date of submission: 22 Dec 2025

    Date of acceptance: 15 Apr 2026

    Online First Publication: 22 June 2026

    Date of publication: Aug 2026

    Was the manuscript fast-tracked? - No

    Number of reviewer reports submitted in the first round: 2 reports

    Number of revision rounds: 2 rounds with major and minor revisions
     

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    This article was prepared without using any artificial intelligence tools in its writing or

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How to cite it?

  • Al-Hiari AI, Fayyad M, Momani BT, Agaileh ZM, and Qtaishat KSS, ‘Objective Liability in the Jordanian Civil Code and Islamic Jurisprudence: A Comparative Study’ (2026) 9(3) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-9.3-a0001996