Article 101 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 101 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب التاسع: إجراءات الإثبات
The article requires that facts to be proved during pleadings be related to the case, material to it, and admissible.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن تكون الوقائع المراد إثباتها أثناء المرافعة متعلقة بالدعوى منتجة فيها جائزًا قبولها.
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 101 explained in plain English
This article sets a general standard for everything the parties ask to prove during pleadings. It is not enough that a party wants to prove something; the fact must meet three conditions together:
- Related to the case: that is, connected with the subject of the dispute before the court.
- Material to it: that is, proving it affects the decision of the case, and is not a mere detail that does not change the outcome.
- Admissible: that is, proving it is accepted and nothing bars it.
The aim of this requirement is to protect the time of the court and the parties from prolonging cases by proving matters that do not help resolve them.
It is linked to Article 102, which deals with the situation where a party's evidence is in a place outside the court's jurisdiction. Before asking to prove a fact, it is useful to ask yourself: is it connected with the dispute? Would it change its outcome if proved? To assess that in a particular case, a lawyer specializing in pleadings and litigation before the courts can be consulted.
Practical example
In a claim for the value of a car sold in Riyadh, the defendant asked to prove that the plaintiff had been late in paying the rent of an apartment unrelated to the sale. This fact is not related to the case and not material to it, so it does not meet what the article requires.
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 101 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
What conditions must a fact meet for the court to accept proving it?
It must be related to the case, material to it, and admissible.
What does it mean for a fact to be material to the case?
That proving it has an effect on deciding the case; this is one of the conditions the article requires.
More articles on Evidence Procedures
- Article 23
The article makes Arabic the official language of the courts, requires hearing non-Arabic speakers through an interpreter, and requires an approved translation from a licensed office for foreign-language papers.
اللغة العربية هي اللغة الرسمية للمحاكم؛ وتسمع المحكمة أقوال الخصوم والشهود ونحوهم من غير الناطقين باللغة العربية عن طريق مترجم، وتقدم ترجمة معتمدة من مكتب مرخص
- Article 67
If a defendant refuses to answer, or answers with something unrelated to the claim, the judge repeats the request for a proper answer three times in the same session; if the defendant persists, he treats them as refusing to answer after a warning.
إذا امتنع المدعى عليه عن الجواب كليًّا، أو أجاب بجواب غير ملاق للدعوى؛ كرر عليه القاضي طلب الجواب الصحيح ثلاثًا في الجلسة نفسها، فإذا أصر على ذلك عدّه ناكلًا بع
- Article 74
The presiding judge puts the questions to the parties, witnesses and others; members and parties may ask him to put their questions, and he may delegate this to a member.
رئيس الجلسة هو الذي يتولى توجيه الأسئلة إلى الخصوم والشهود وغيرهم ممن له صلة بالدعوى، ولأعضاء الدائرة المشتركين معه في الجلسة والخصوم أن يطلبوا منه توجيه ما يري
- Article 102
If a party's evidence is in a place outside the court's jurisdiction, the court must delegate the judge of that place to hear and vet the evidence.
إذا كانت بينة أحد الخصوم في مكان خارج عن نطاق اختصاص المحكمة، فعليها أن تستخلف القاضي الذي يقع ذلك المكان في نطاق اختصاصه لسماع تلك البينة وتعديلها.
- Article 103
The court may withdraw from evidentiary procedures it ordered, provided it states the reasons in the record, and may decline to adopt a procedure's result, provided it states the reasons in its judgment.
للمحكمة أن تعدل عما أمرت به من إجراءات الإثبات، بشرط أن تبين أسباب العدول في الضبط. ويجوز لها كذلك ألا تأخذ بنتيجة الإجراء، بشرط أن تبين أسباب ذلك في حكمها.
- Article 104
The court may question a party who is present, and any party may ask to question his opponent who is present; the answer is given in the same session unless the court grants time, and in the requester's presence.
للمحكمة أن تستجوب من يكون حاضرًا من الخصوم، ولكل منهم أن يطلب استجواب خصمه الحاضر، وتكون الإجابة في الجلسة نفسها إلا إذا رأت المحكمة إعطاء موعد للإجابة، كما تكو
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.