Article 2 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
المادة 2 من نظام التحكيم · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
The article sets the scope of the Arbitration Law and excludes personal status disputes and matters in which conciliation is not permitted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام الشريعة الإسلامية وأحكام الاتفاقيات الدولية التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها ؛ تسري أحكام هذا النظام على كل تحكيم، أياً كانت طبيعة العلاقة النظامية التي يدور حولها النزاع، إذا جرى هذا التحكيم في المملكة، أو كان تحكيماً تجارياً دولياً يجرى في الخارج، واتفق طرفاه على إخضاعه لأحكام هذا النظام.
ولا تسري أحكام هذا النظام على المنازعات المتعلقة بالأحوال الشخصية، والمسائل التي لا يجوز فيها الصلح.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 2 explained in plain English
This article shows when the provisions of the Arbitration Law apply, without prejudice to the provisions of Islamic Sharia and of the international agreements to which the Kingdom is a party.
The Law applies in two cases:
- Any arbitration conducted in the Kingdom, whatever the nature of the legal relationship the dispute concerns.
- International commercial arbitration conducted outside the Kingdom, provided its parties agree to subject it to the provisions of this Law.
The Law does not apply to:
- Disputes relating to personal status.
- Matters in which conciliation is not permitted.
To know when arbitration is international, refer to Article 3, which lists the cases, such as the principal place of business of the parties being in more than one state, or their agreeing to resort to an arbitration center whose seat is outside the Kingdom. Article 1 is also relied on for the definition of the arbitration agreement, the arbitral tribunal and the competent court.
If you have a dispute and want to know whether it falls within the scope of the Law, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in arbitration and commercial cases.
Practical example
A Saudi company in Jeddah and a European company concluded a supply contract, and agreed that arbitration would take place in Dubai, subject to the Saudi Arbitration Law. Here the Law applies to this arbitration because it is international commercial arbitration conducted abroad and its parties agreed to subject it to the Law. If the dispute were instead a disagreement over child custody, the Law would not apply to it because it concerns personal status.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 2 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
Can a family dispute be resolved by arbitration under this Law?
The provisions of the Arbitration Law do not apply to disputes relating to personal status, according to the text of the article.
Does the Saudi Law apply to arbitration conducted outside the Kingdom?
It applies if it is international commercial arbitration and its parties agree to subject it to the provisions of this Law.
Is the Law limited to commercial contracts?
No. It applies to any arbitration conducted in the Kingdom whatever the nature of the legal relationship the dispute concerns, excluding personal status and matters in which conciliation is not permitted.
More articles on Scope and General Provisions of Arbitration
- Article 1
The article defines three key terms in the Arbitration Law: the arbitration agreement, the arbitral tribunal and the competent court.
تدل العبارات الآتية الواردة في هذا النظام على المعاني الموضحة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : 1 - اتفاق التحكيم : هو اتفاق بين طرفين أو أكثر على أن يحيلا إ
- Article 3
The article sets out when arbitration is international under the Law, provided its subject is a dispute relating to international trade.
يكون التحكيم دولياً في حكم هذا النظام إذا كان موضوعه نزاعاً يتعلق بالتجارة الدولية، وذلك في الأحوال الآتية: 1 - إذا كان المركز الرئيس لأعمال كل من طرفي التحكيم
- Article 4
The article allows the parties, where they may choose a procedure, to authorize others, such as an individual or an arbitration center, to choose it.
في الأحوال التي يجيز فيها هذا النظام لطرفي التحكيم اختيار الإجراء الواجب الاتباع في مسألة معينة، فإن ذلك يضمن حقهما في الترخيص للغير في اختيار هذا الإجراء، ويعد
- Article 5
The article requires applying the provisions of any document, such as a model contract or international agreement, to which the parties agree to subject their relationship, so long as it does not contravene Islamic Sharia.
إذا اتفق طرفا التحكيم على إخضاع العلاقة بينهما لأحكام أي وثيقة (عقد نموذجي، أو اتفاقية دولية أو غيرهما)، وجب العمل بأحكام هذه الوثيقة بما تشمله من أحكام خاصة با
- Article 6
The article regulates how notices between the parties to arbitration are delivered when they have no special agreement, and excludes judicial notices concerning annulment of an arbitral award.
1 - إذا لم يكن هناك اتفاق خاص بين طرفي التحكيم في شأن الإبلاغات فيتم تسليم الإبلاغ إلى المرسل إليه شخصيًّا - أو من ينوب عنه - أو إرساله إلى عنوانه البريدي المحد
- Article 7
The article treats a party's continuing with arbitration while aware of a violation, without objecting within the agreed time or within 30 days, as a waiver of his right to object.
إذا استمر أحد طرفي التحكيم في إجراءات التحكيم ـ مع علمه بوقوع مخالفة لحكم من أحكام هذا النظام مما يجوز الاتفاق على مخالفته أو لشرط في اتفاق التحكيم ـ ولم يقدم ا
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.