Article 22 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 22 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
Article 22 sets the rules for calculating time limits: the day of the announcement is not counted, a period in which the step must be taken expires at the end of its last day, and a limit ending on an official holiday extends to the next working day.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا كان الموعد مقدرًا بالأيام أو بالشهور أو بالسنين فلا يحسب منه يوم الإعلان أو اليوم الذي حدث فيه الأمر المعتبر في نظر النظام مجريًا للموعد، وينقضي الموعد بانقضاء اليوم الأخير منه إذا كان يجب أن يحصل فيه الإجراء، أما إذا كان الموعد مما يجب انقضاؤه قبل الإجراء فلا يجوز حصول الإجراء إلا بعد انقضاء اليوم الأخير من الموعد. وإذا كان الموعد مقدرًا بالساعات كان حساب الساعة التي يبدأ فيها والساعة التي ينقضي فيها على الوجه المتقدم.
وإذا صادف آخر الموعد عطلة رسمية امتد إلى أول يوم عمل بعدها.
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 22 explained in plain English
This article sets the rules for calculating time limits, one of the most practically important articles because a mistake in calculation may cost a party an important step.
1. Time limits measured in days, months or years:
- The day of the announcement is not counted in them, nor the day on which the event the Law treats as starting the time limit occurred. Counting therefore starts from the following day.
- If the time limit is one within which the step must be taken, it expires at the end of its last day; that is, the step may be taken until the end of the last day.
- If the time limit is one that must pass before the step, the step may not be taken until after the last day of it has passed.
2. Time limits measured in hours: the hour at which the time limit starts and the hour at which it expires are calculated in the same way.
3. Official holidays: if the end of the time limit falls on an official holiday, the time limit extends to the first working day after it.
These rules complement Article 21, which adds 60 days to the legal time limits for a person whose place of residence is outside the Kingdom, with the possibility of extending it by a similar period.
Because the calculation of a time limit differs by its type and by when it starts running in each case, it is advisable, when in doubt, to consult a lawyer specializing in procedure and litigation.
Practical example
For illustration: Ali is notified of an order on a Sunday, and he has a 10-day time limit to take a step. Sunday is not counted, so counting starts from the following day, and the time limit expires at the end of the tenth day. If the last day falls on an official holiday, the time limit extends to the first working day after it.
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 22 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Is the day of notification counted in the time limit?
No. The day of the announcement, or the day on which the event treated as starting the time limit occurred, is not counted.
What if the last day of the time limit falls on an official holiday?
The time limit extends to the first working day after the holiday.
When does a time limit within which the step must be taken expire?
It expires at the end of its last day.
How are time limits measured in hours calculated?
The start of the hour and its expiry are calculated in the same way provided for time limits measured in days.
More articles on Notification and Deadlines
- Article 1
Article 1 provides that courts apply Sharia rulings as indicated by the Quran and the Sunnah and the regulations issued by the ruler that do not conflict with them, and follow the Law of Sharia Procedure in procedures.
تطبق المحاكم على القضايا المعروضة أمامها أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية، وفقًا لما دل عليه الكتاب والسنة، وما يصدره ولي الأمر من أنظمة لا تتعارض مع الكتاب والسنة، وتتق
- Article 2
Article 2 provides that every procedural step validly completed under a law in force remains valid, unless the Law of Sharia Procedure provides otherwise.
كل إجراء من إجراءات المرافعات تم صحيحًا في ظل نظام معمول به يبقى صحيحًا، ما لم ينص على غير ذلك في هذا النظام.
- Article 5
Article 5 provides that a procedure is void if the Law says so or if a defect defeats its purpose, but voidness is not ruled where the procedure's purpose was achieved despite an express provision.
يكون الإجراء باطلًا إذا نص النظام على بطلانه، أو شابه عيب تخلّف بسببه الغرض من الإجراء، ولا يحكم بالبطلان - برغم النص عليه - إذا ثبت تحقق الغاية من الإجراء.
- Article 7Amended (1442 AH)
Article 7 bars bailiffs, clerks and other court aides from performing work within their duties in cases concerning themselves, their spouses or their relatives or in-laws up to the fourth degree, on pain of voidness.
لايجوز للمحضرين ولا للكتبة وغيرهم من أعوان القضاء أن يباشروا عملاً يدخل في حدود وظائفهم في الدعاوى الخاصة بهم أو بأزواجهم أو بأقاربهم أو بأصهارهم حتى الدرجة الر
- Article 8
Article 8 provides that the periods and time limits in the Law of Sharia Procedure are calculated by the Umm al-Qura calendar, and that sunset ends each day.
تحسب المدد والمواعيد المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام حسب تقويم أم القرى. ويعد غروب شمس كل يوم نهايته.
- Article 9
Article 9 defines a person's place of residence as where he habitually lives (with special rules for nomadic Bedouins, detainees and prisoners), allows choosing a special place to receive notices, and requires telling the court of any change.
يقصد بمكان الإقامة في تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام المكان الذي يقطنه الشخص على وجه الاعتياد. وبالنسبة إلى البدو الرحل يعد مكان إقامة الشخص المكان الذي يقطنه عند إقامة
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.