Article 168 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 168 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب العاشر: الأحكام
The article requires the judgment deed under which enforcement is carried out to be sealed with the court's seal and appended with the executory formula, and limits its delivery to the party with an interest in enforcement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجب أن يختم صك الحكم - الذي يكون التنفيذ بموجبه - بخاتم المحكمة بعد أن يذيل بالصيغة التنفيذية التالية: (يطلب من جميع الوزارات والأجهزة الحكومية الأخرى العمل على تنفيذ هذا الحكم بجميع الوسائل النظامية المتبعة ولو أدى إلى استعمال القوة الجبرية عن طريق الشرطة).
2- لا يسلم صك الحكم إلا إلى الخصم الذي له مصلحة في تنفيذه، ومع ذلك يجوز تزويد كل ذي مصلحة بنسخة من صك الحكم مجردة من الصيغة التنفيذية.
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 168 explained in plain English
This article regulates the judgment deed under which enforcement is carried out and sets two rules for it.
First - the executory formula and the seal: the deed must be appended with the executory formula specified in the text, which in substance requests all ministries and other government bodies to work to enforce the judgment by all lawful means, even if that leads to the use of compulsion through the police. The deed is then sealed with the court's seal.
Second - to whom the deed is delivered:
- The judgment deed appended with the executory formula is delivered only to the litigant who has an interest in enforcing it.
- Any interested person may be provided with a copy of the judgment deed stripped of the executory formula.
The text thus distinguishes between the deed under which enforcement is carried out, which is delivered only to the party with an interest in enforcement, and the copy stripped of the executory formula, with which any interested person may be provided.
Next comes Article 169, which specifies the cases in which a judgment must carry provisional enforcement. The enforcement procedures themselves are not addressed by this article. To learn the steps for enforcing a particular judgment, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in enforcement cases.
Practical example
A judgment was issued in favor of Munira ordering a person to pay a sum of money. Munira receives the judgment deed appended with the executory formula and sealed with the court's seal, because she is the party with an interest in enforcing it, while her co-claimant may be provided with a copy of the deed stripped of the executory formula.
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 168 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
What is the executory formula in a judgment deed?
It is wording appended to the deed requesting all ministries and government bodies to enforce the judgment by all lawful means, even if that leads to the use of compulsion through the police.
To whom is the judgment deed with the executory formula delivered?
Only to the litigant who has an interest in enforcing it.
Can someone who is not the beneficiary obtain a copy of the judgment?
Any interested person may be provided with a copy of the judgment deed stripped of the executory formula.
More articles on Issuing the Judgment
- Article 56Amended (1441 AH)
If the claimant is absent from the hearings under Article 55, the defendant may ask for judgment on the substance of the claim; the court rules if the claim is ready for judgment, and its judgment counts as given in the claimant's presence.
إذا لم يحضر المدعي جلسات الدعوى - وفقاً لما ورد في المادة (الخامسة والخمسين) من هذا النظام - فللمدعى عليه أن يطلب من المحكمة الحكم في موضوعها، وعلى المحكمة أن ت
- Article 57
The article explains the effect of the defendant's absence and when a judgment against him is in his absence or in his presence, and allows compelling his attendance in marital, custody, maintenance, visitation and guardians' refusal-to-marry matters.
1- إذا غاب المدعى عليه عن الجلسة الأولى ولم يكن تبلغ لشخصه أو وكيله في الدعوى نفسها، فيؤجل النظر في الدعوى إلى جلسة لاحقة يبلغ بها المدعى عليه، فإن غاب عن هذه ا
- Article 60
The article allows a person sentenced in his absence to object to the judgment before the court that issued it within the objection periods, and regulates the objection memorandum, the effect of his absence and stay of enforcement.
1- يكون للمحكوم عليه غيابيًا - خلال المدد المقررة للاعتراض في هذا النظام - المعارضة على الحكم لدى المحكمة التي أصدرته، من تاريخ إبلاغه أو وكيله بالحكم. 2- يقدم
- Article 69
Pleadings close as soon as the parties finish, but before pronouncing judgment the court may reopen them and return the case to the session roll for acceptable reasons.
يقفل باب المرافعة بمجرد انتهاء الخصوم من مرافعتهم، ومع ذلك فللمحكمة قبل النطق بالحكم أن تقرر - من تلقاء نفسها أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم - فتح باب المرافعة وإعا
- Article 70
At any stage of the case the parties may ask to have what they agreed on, such as an admission or settlement, recorded in the case record, and the court must issue a deed to that effect.
للخصوم أن يطلبوا من المحكمة في أي حال تكون عليها الدعوى تدوين ما اتفقوا عليه من إقرار أو صلح أو غير ذلك في محضر الدعوى، وعلى المحكمة إصدار صك بذلك.
- Article 77
The court rules on the defenses in Articles 75 and 76 separately, unless it decides to join them to the merits of the case, in which case it states what it ruled on each defense and on the merits.
تحكم المحكمة في الدفوع المنصوص عليها في المادتين (الخامسة والسبعين والسادسة والسبعين) من هذا النظام على استقلال، ما لم تقرر ضمها إلى موضوع الدعوى، وعندئذ تبيّن
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.