Article 2 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 2 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفصل الأول: تطبيق النظام
The Article provides that all periods and time limits in the Civil Transactions Law are calculated by the Hijri calendar.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحسب المدد والمواعيد الواردة في هذا النظام بالتقويم 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 settles an important practical question: by which calendar are the periods and time limits mentioned in the Civil Transactions Law calculated? The answer is that they are calculated by the Hijri calendar.
What does the Article cover?
- Every period mentioned in this Law, whether in days, months or years.
- Every time limit the Law sets for taking a step or exercising a right.
Why does it matter? Because the Hijri year is shorter than the Gregorian year by several days, someone who calculates a long statutory period by the Gregorian calendar may make a mistake in identifying its start or end, which may result in the loss of a right or a deadline. Anyone dealing with the provisions of this Law should therefore calculate the periods it sets by the Hijri calendar.
The scope of the Article is the periods and time limits mentioned in this Law; it does not address others.
This Article falls within the provisions on applying the Law, alongside Article 1, which sets the order of what applies to civil matters: the provisions of the Law, then the general rules, then the most suitable rulings of Islamic Sharia. If in doubt about calculating a particular period, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil cases.
Practical example
Khalid wanted to know when a period set in years by the Civil Transactions Law ends. Under this Article, he calculates it in Hijri years, not Gregorian years, so counting begins with the Hijri date and ends when the same number of Hijri years has passed, which makes its end earlier than if he had calculated it by the Gregorian calendar.
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 Civil Transactions Law
Are periods in the Civil Transactions Law calculated by the Hijri or Gregorian calendar?
Under Article 2, the periods and time limits in this Law are calculated by the Hijri calendar.
Does the Article cover time limits as well, or only periods?
It covers both periods and time limits, as long as they are mentioned in the Civil Transactions Law.
More articles on Capacity and General Provisions
- Article 1
The Article sets the order of what applies to civil matters: the Law's provisions, then the general rules in the final provisions, then the most suitable rulings of Sharia, without prejudice to special statutory provisions.
1- تُطبق نصوص هذا النظام على جميع المسائل التي تناولتها في لفظها أو في فحواها، فإن لم يوجد نص يمكن تطبيقه طُبقت القواعد الكلية الواردة في الأحكام الختامية، فإن
- Article 3
The Article provides that a person's legal personality begins with complete live birth and ends with death, and that the rights of an unborn child in the womb are determined by statutory provisions.
1- تبدأ شخصية الإنسان بتمام ولادته حيًّا وتنتهي بموته. 2- حقوق الحمل المستكن تحددها النصوص النظامية.
- Article 4
The Article refers the rules on the missing person, the absent person and the person of unknown parentage to the statutory provisions specific to them rather than regulating them in the Civil Transactions Law.
تسري على المفقود والغائب ومجهول النسب النصوص النظامية الخاصة بهم.
- Article 5
The Article refers the rules on persons' names, titles, families, kinship and nationalities to the statutory provisions specific to them.
تسري على أسماء الأشخاص وألقابهم وأسرهم وقراباتهم وجنسياتهم النصوص النظامية الخاصة بها.
- Article 6
The article defines direct kinship as the link between ascendants and descendants, and indirect kinship as the bond between persons who share a common ancestor without one being a descendant of the other.
1- القرابة المباشرة هي الصلة بين الأصول والفروع. 2- القرابة غير المباشرة هي الرابطة بين أشخاصٍ يجمعهم أصلٌ مشتركٌ دون أن يكون أحدهم فرعًا للآخر.
- Article 7
The article explains how to count the degree of direct and indirect kinship, and treats a spouse's relatives as having the same kinship and degree in relation to the other spouse.
1- تتحدد درجة القرابة المباشرة باعتبار كل فرعٍ درجةً عند الصعود للأصل دون حساب الأصل، وتتحدد درجة القرابة غير المباشرة بعدد الفروع صعودًا من الفرع للأصل المشترك
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.