Article 67 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 67 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب السادس: سلطات الدولة
The Article defines the regulatory authority's competence to make laws and regulations that serve the public interest or remove harm in State affairs, in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تختص السلطة التنظيمية بوضع الأنظمة واللوائح، فيما يحقق المصلحة، أو يرفع المفسدة في شئون الدولة، وفقا لقواعد الشريعة الإسلامية ، وتمارس اختصاصاتها وفقا لهذا النظام ونظامي مجلس الوزراء ومجلس الشورى.
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 67 explained in plain English
This Article sets out the role of the regulatory authority, the authority competent to make laws and regulations in the Kingdom. The text ties this competence to several controls:
- The purpose: making laws and regulations must be in what serves the public interest or removes harm in State affairs.
- The reference: this must be in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia.
- The manner of exercise: the regulatory authority exercises its powers in accordance with this Law (the Basic Law of Governance) and the Council of Ministers Law and the Shura Council Law.
This is consistent with Article 1, which provides that the constitution of the Kingdom is the Book of God Almighty and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him; the laws made by the regulatory authority are bound by the rules of Sharia.
The Article does not detail the procedures and stages of preparing laws, but refers that to the Basic Law and the Council of Ministers Law and the Shura Council Law. A related Article is Article 68, which provides for the establishment of a Shura Council whose law sets out how it is formed, how it exercises its powers and the selection of its members, and that the King may dissolve the Shura Council and reconstitute it.
Anyone who wants to understand the effect of a particular law or regulation on them may consult a lawyer who specializes in constitutional and administrative law.
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 67 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
What is the regulatory authority in Saudi Arabia?
It is the authority that, under Article 67, is competent to make laws and regulations that serve the public interest or remove harm in State affairs in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia.
Under which laws does the regulatory authority exercise its powers?
It exercises its powers in accordance with the Basic Law of Governance and the Council of Ministers Law and the Shura Council Law.
Must Saudi laws conform to Sharia?
Yes. The Article provides that laws and regulations are made in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia.
More articles on Shura Council and Issuing Laws
- Article 44
The Article sets out the State's three authorities, the judicial, executive and regulatory, provides that they cooperate in accordance with the laws, and states that the King is their reference.
تتكون السلطات في الدولة من : - السلطة القضائية. - السلطة التنفيذية. - السلطة التنظيمية. وتتعاون هذه السلطات في أداء وظائفها، وفقا لهذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة،
- Article 68
The Article provides for establishing a Shura Council whose law sets out its composition, powers and selection of members, and gives the King the power to dissolve it and reconstitute it.
ينشأ مجلس للشورى ، ويبين نظامه طريقة تكوينه، وكيفية ممارسته لاختصاصاته، واختيار أعضائه. وللملك حل مجلس الشورى وإعادة تكوينه.
- Article 69
The Article permits the King to call the Shura Council and the Council of Ministers to a joint meeting, and to invite whomever he sees fit to attend it to discuss what he sees fit.
للملك أن يدعو مجلس الشورى ، ومجلس الوزراء ، إلى اجتماع مشترك، وله أن يدعو من يراه لحضور هذا الاجتماع لمناقشة ما يراه من أمور.
- Article 70
The Article provides that laws, treaties, international agreements and concessions are issued and amended by royal decrees.
تصدر الأنظمة ، والمعاهدات ، والاتفاقيات الدولية ، والامتيازات ، ويتم تعديلها بموجب مراسيم ملكية .
- Article 71
The Article requires laws to be published in the Official Gazette and makes them effective from the date of publication unless another date is specified.
تنشر الأنظمة في الجريدة الرسمية، وتكون نافذة المفعول من تاريخ نشرها، ما لم ينص على تاريخ آخر.
- Article 83
The article provides that the Basic Law of Governance may be amended only in the same way in which it was issued.
لايجري تعديل هذا النظام إلا بنفس الطريقة التي تم بها إصداره.
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.