Article 11 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 11 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثاني: أحكام عامة للزواج
The article lets the court permit the marriage of a person who is insane or mentally impaired at the request of his guardian, on condition of a medical report, the other party's acceptance and a proven interest.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للمحكمة أن تأذن بزواج المجنون أو المعتوه بناء على طلب ولي تزويجه، بعد توافر الشروط الآتية:
1- أن يقدم الولي تقريراً طبيًّا معتمداً عن حالة الجنون أو العته.
2- أن يقبل الطرف الآخر في عقد الزواج بعد اطلاعه على حالة المجنون أو المعتوه.
3- أن يكون في هذا الزواج مصلحة للمجنون أو المعتوه.
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 11 explained in plain English
This article regulates the marriage of a person who is insane or mentally impaired, which takes place only with the court's permission, at the request of the guardian responsible for marrying him.
The court gives permission only after three conditions are all met:
- A medical report: that the guardian submits an approved medical report on the condition of insanity or mental impairment.
- Acceptance by the other party with knowledge: that the other party to the marriage contract accepts after being informed of the condition of the insane or mentally impaired person; the condition may not be concealed from him or her.
- Interest: that this marriage is in the interest of the insane or mentally impaired person.
Meeting these conditions protects two parties: the insane or mentally impaired person is protected by the interest condition and the court's oversight, and the other party is protected by the right to know the condition in advance before accepting the marriage.
Note that the request is not made by the insane or mentally impaired person himself but by the guardian responsible for marrying him. The permission is also within the court's authority, and if any of the three conditions is missing, what the article requires for permission is not met.
This article appears in the context of the general provisions on marriage, after Article 10 on capacity to litigate for someone who married under 18, and before Article 12, which sets the pillars of the marriage contract.
To learn how to prepare the request and its documents in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status.
Practical example
The father of a young man with a mental impairment wants to marry him to a young woman in Jeddah. He must apply to the court with an approved medical report on his son's condition, the young woman must accept after being informed of his condition, and it must be established that the marriage is in the young man's interest.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 11 of Personal Status Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Family & Personal Status Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Family & Personal Status Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Nasser Al-Adhali Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 11 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
Is the marriage of an insane person permitted in Saudi Arabia?
The court may permit the marriage of an insane or mentally impaired person at the request of his marriage guardian, once the three conditions in the article are met.
What are the conditions for the marriage of a mentally impaired person?
The guardian submits an approved medical report, the other party accepts after being informed of the condition, and the marriage is in the interest of the mentally impaired person.
Must the other party be told of the condition of insanity?
Yes. It is a condition that the other party to the marriage contract accepts after being informed of the condition of the insane or mentally impaired person.
More articles on Marriage Contract and Its Conditions
- Article 6
The article defines marriage as a contract with pillars and conditions that creates rights and duties between the spouses, aimed at chastity and founding a stable family.
الزواج عقد بأركان وشروط، يرتب حقوقاً وواجبات بين الزوجين، غايته الإحصان وإنشاء أسرة مستقرة يرعاها الزوجان بمودة ورحمة.
- Article 7
The article defines seclusion (khalwa) as the spouses being alone in a place where no person of discernment is with them.
الخلوة -في سبيل تطبيق هذا النظام- هي انفراد الزوجين في مكان ليس عندهما من يميِّز.
- Article 8
The article requires the marriage contract to be documented by the spouses or one of them, lets any interested person request proof of an undocumented marriage, and regulates documenting a non-Muslim's marriage.
1- يجب توثيق عقد الزواج، وعلى الزوجين -أو أحدهما- توثيقه، وذلك وفق الأحكام المنظمة لذلك. 2- يجوز لكل ذي مصلحة طلب إثبات عقد الزواج غير الموثق. 3- يوثق عقد زواج
- Article 9
The article bars documenting the marriage contract of a person under 18, and lets the court permit the marriage if the person has reached puberty and his or her interest is established.
يمنع توثيق عقد الزواج لمن هو دون (ثمانية عشر) عاماً، وللمحكمة أن تأذن بزواج من هو دون ذلك ذكراً كان أو أنثى إذا كان بالغاً بعد التحقق من مصلحته في هذا الزواج، و
- Article 10
The article gives a person who married under 18 with the court's permission capacity to litigate in everything relating to the marriage and its effects, provided he or she is of sound mind.
يكتسب من تزوج وفق حكم المادة (التاسعة) من هذا النظام أهلية التقاضي في كل ما له علاقة بالزواج وآثاره؛ إذا كان عاقلاً.
- Article 12
The article sets the two pillars of the marriage contract: the spouses, who are a man and a woman, and offer and acceptance.
أركان عقد الزواج هي: 1- الزوجان، وهما: الرجل والمرأة. 2- الإيجاب والقبول.
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.