Article 2 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 2 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب الأول: المبادئ العامة
The article provides that the state's two feasts are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and that the state's calendar is the Hijri calendar.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
عيدا الدولة، هما عيدا الفطر والأضحى، وتقويمها، هو التقويم الهجري.
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 deals with two aspects of the state's identity:
- The state's two feasts: They are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The text fixes these two feasts as the feasts of the state.
- The state's calendar: It is the Hijri calendar, that is, the calendar based on lunar months that begins with the Prophet's Hijra.
The article is a short text that states only the principle. It does not set the length of the holiday for the two feasts, nor how the calendar is used in contracts, transactions or deadlines. The text does not address these details, and anyone who needs them refers to the laws specific to his subject, such as labor or civil service laws or the laws that regulate the transaction that concerns him.
This article is linked to Article 1, which provides that the Kingdom is an Arab Islamic state whose religion is Islam, so the choice of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the Hijri calendar is consistent with this identity. It is also linked to Article 3, which sets the descriptions of the state flag, and both address the state's symbols and aspects of its identity.
This article concerns citizens, residents and bodies who want to know the two official feasts and the state's adopted calendar.
Practical example
Sarah, an employee who has recently moved to work at a company in Riyadh, asks about the state's official holidays. She finds in Article 2 of the Basic Law of Governance that the state's two feasts are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The number of days of her leave for the two feasts is not set by this article, so she refers to the law that governs her work.
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 Basic Law of Governance
What are the official holidays of the state in Saudi Arabia?
Article 2 provides that the state's two feasts are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
What is the official calendar of the state in Saudi Arabia?
Article 2 provides that the state's calendar is the Hijri calendar.
Does Article 2 set the length of the Eid holiday?
No. The article sets only the state's two feasts and calendar and does not address the length of the holiday.
More articles on Identity and Symbols of the State
- Article 1
The article defines the Kingdom's identity: a fully sovereign Arab Islamic state, whose religion is Islam, whose constitution is the Book and the Sunnah, whose language is Arabic and whose capital is Riyadh.
المملكة العربية السعودية، دولة عربية إسلامية، ذات سيادة تامة، دينها الإسلام، ودستورها كتاب الله تعالى وسنة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم. ولغتها هي اللغة العربية، وع
- Article 3
The article sets the descriptions of the state flag: green, its width two-thirds of its length, with the Shahada in the center and a drawn sword beneath it, never lowered, with the Law setting its rules.
يكون علم الدولة كما يلي : أ - لونه أخضر. ب - عرضه يساوي ثلثي طوله. ج - تتوسطه كلمة : (لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله) تحتها سيف مسلول، ولا ينكس العلم أبدا. ويبي
- Article 4
The article sets the state emblem as two crossed swords with a palm tree in the space above them, and refers to the Law to set the state's anthem and decorations.
شعار الدولة سيفان متقاطعان، ونخلة وسط فراغهما الأعلى، ويحدد النظام نشيد الدولة وأوسمتها.
- Article 64
The Article provides that the King confers decorations, and that this is done in the manner set out by the law.
يمنح الملك الأوسمة، وذلك على الوجه المبين بالنظام.
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.