Article 123 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 123 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: مسؤولية الشخص عن فعله
Whoever causes damage while in a state of lawful defense of person, honor or property is not liable, provided his defense does not exceed what is necessary to repel the aggression.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
من أحدث ضررًا وهو في حالة دفاع مشروع عن نفس أو عرض أو مال؛ كان غير مسؤول، على ألا يجاوز دفاعه القدر الضروري لدفع الاعتداء، وإلا كان ملزمًا بالتعويض بالقدر الذي تراه المحكمة مناسبًا.
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 123 explained in plain English
This article deals with lawful defense and its effect on the obligation of civil compensation. The principle is that whoever causes damage to another must compensate him, but the article excepts whoever caused the damage while in a state of lawful defense.
The cases of defense the article mentions include:
- Defense of one's person.
- Defense of one's honor.
- Defense of one's property.
The negation of liability is not absolute, but is conditional on the defense not exceeding what is necessary to repel the aggression. If the defender exceeds this extent, he becomes obliged to compensate, though not necessarily in full, but to the extent the court considers appropriate.
The article thus distinguishes between two situations:
- Defense within the limits of necessity: no liability for compensation.
- Defense that exceeded the limit of necessity: compensation to the extent the court considers appropriate.
This article is linked to Article 122, which provides that a person is liable for a harmful act if it came from him while he had discernment, and Article 124 is close to it, dealing with someone who caused damage to avoid a greater damage imminently threatening him or another. The article speaks of civil compensation and does not address the criminal aspects of the incident.
Because determining whether a defense was lawful or excessive depends on the facts of each case, consider consulting a lawyer who specializes in civil and compensation cases.
Practical example
A person attacked Fahd in a parking lot in Riyadh, trying to snatch his bag, and Fahd pushed him, so he fell and his clothes were torn. If Fahd's push was within what was needed to repel the aggression, he is not liable for compensation; if he exceeded that, the court may oblige him to pay compensation to the extent it considers appropriate.
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 123 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Must I compensate if I harm someone while defending myself?
Whoever causes damage while in a state of lawful defense of person, honor or property is not liable, provided his defense does not exceed what is necessary to repel the aggression.
What if I exceed the limits of lawful defense?
If the defense exceeds what is necessary to repel the aggression, the defender is obliged to compensate to the extent the court considers appropriate.
Does lawful defense include protecting property?
Yes. The article mentions defense of person, honor and property.
More articles on Compensation for Harm
- Article 28
The article provides that a person who uses his right lawfully is not liable for any harm that arises from that.
من استعمل حقه استعمالًا مشروعًا لا يكون مسؤولًا عما ينشأ عن ذلك من ضرر.
- Article 29
The article prohibits abuse in using a right, and sets its cases: aiming only to harm others, benefit entirely disproportionate to the harm caused, and use for something other than what the right was granted for or for an unlawful purpose.
1- لا يجوز التعسف في استعمال الحق. 2- يكون استعمال الحق تعسفيًّا في الحالات الآتية: أ- إذا لم يقصد بالاستعمال سوى الإضرار بالغير. ب- إذا كانت المنفعة من استعمال
- Article 35
The offeror may withdraw his offer before acceptance is made unless the offer has a fixed period, and if he does not inform the other party he compensates him for the harm suffered but not the expected profit.
1- للموجب أن يعدل عن الإيجاب قبل صدور القبول؛ ما لم تكن للإيجاب مدةٌ معينة. 2- إذا لم تكن للإيجاب مدة معينة؛ فعلى الموجب إذا عدل إعلام من وجه إليه الإيجاب بذلك،
- Article 41
Negotiating does not oblige the parties to conclude a contract, but a person who negotiates or ends negotiations in bad faith is liable for the harm, not for expected profit; bad faith includes lack of seriousness and concealing an essential fact.
1- ذا تمَّ التفاوض على عقد فلا يرتب ذلك على أطراف التفاوض التزامًا بإبرام هذا العقد، ومع ذلك يكون من يتفاوض أو يُنهي التفاوض بسوء نية مسؤولًا عن الضرر الذي أصاب
- Article 56
If a partially incapacitated person resorts to fraudulent means to conceal his incapacity, he must compensate the other contracting party for the harm caused by the annulment of the contract.
إذا لجأ ناقص الأهلية إلى طرقٍ احتياليَّةٍ لإخفاء نقص أهليته لزمه التعويض عن الضرر الذي أصاب المتعاقد معه بسبب إبطال العقد.
- Article 118
The article provides that the provisions on harmful acts apply to liability arising from the act of a natural or legal person, subject to liability provisions in special statutory texts.
مع مراعاة أحكام المسؤولية الواردة في نصوص نظامية خاصة؛ تسري أحكام هذا الفصل على المسؤولية الناشئة عن الفعل الضار من الشخص ذي الصفة الطبيعية أو الاعتبارية.
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.