Article 113 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 113 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب التاسع: إجراءات الإثبات
A person called to court to take an oath must attend; he must swear at once or return the oath to his opponent, otherwise he is treated as refusing, and refusing, failing to attend without excuse, or an unconvincing objection also makes him a refuser.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- من دعي للحضور إلى المحكمة لأداء اليمين وجب عليه الحضور.
2- إذا حضر من وجهت إليه اليمين بنفسه ولم ينازع لا في جوازها ولا في تعلقها بالدعوى، وجب عليه أن يؤديها فورًا أو يردها على خصمه، وإلا عُدَّ ناكلًا، وإن امتنع دون أن ينازع أو تخلف عن الحضور بغير عذر، عُدَّ ناكلًا كذلك.
3- إذا حضر من وجهت إليه اليمين ونازع في جوازها أو في تعلقها بالدعوى لزمه بيان ذلك، فإن لم تقتنع المحكمة بذلك وجب عليه أداء اليمين، وإلا عُدَّ ناكلًا.
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 113 explained in plain English
This article details what the person to whom the oath is administered must do, and when he is treated as refusing (nakil), meaning declining to swear:
- The duty to attend: a person called to attend court to take an oath must attend.
- If he attends in person and does not object to the permissibility of the oath or its relevance to the case: he must take it at once or return it to his opponent, otherwise he is treated as refusing.
- If he refuses without objecting, or fails to attend without an excuse: he is likewise treated as refusing.
- If he attends and objects to the permissibility of the oath or its relevance to the case: he must state that, and if the court is not convinced he must take the oath, otherwise he is treated as refusing.
The options open to the person to whom the oath is administered are thus defined: to swear, to return the oath to his opponent, or to explain to the court the reason for his objection. Silence or absence without an excuse leads to his being treated as refusing. The article does not state what effect on the judgment follows from refusing.
This article is linked to Article 112, which makes the oath and refusal to take it before the judge of the case in the court session, and to Article 114, which regulates the case of a person with an excuse preventing him from attending: the court goes to have him swear, or assigns one of its judges, or delegates the court of his place of residence. Because the decision to swear or return the oath may decide the case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in pleadings and litigation before the courts.
Practical example
A court in Makkah administered the oath to Saleh in a loan case. He attended and did not object to its permissibility, but he refused to swear and did not return it to his opponent. In this situation Saleh is treated as refusing under the article.
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 113 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Must I attend if the court asks me to take an oath?
Yes. A person called to attend court to take an oath must attend.
What happens if I refuse to take the oath?
If you refuse without objecting and do not return it to your opponent, or fail to attend without an excuse, you are treated as refusing.
Can the oath be returned to the opponent?
Yes. A person who attends and does not object takes the oath at once or returns it to his opponent.
Can I object to the oath administered to me?
You may object to its permissibility or its relevance to the case, stating the reason; if the court is not convinced, you must take it, otherwise you are treated as refusing.
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 101
The article requires that facts to be proved during pleadings be related to the case, material to it, and admissible.
يجب أن تكون الوقائع المراد إثباتها أثناء المرافعة متعلقة بالدعوى منتجة فيها جائزًا قبولها.
- 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.
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.