Article 13 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 13 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثالث: أركان عقد الزواج وشروطه
The article sets five conditions for a valid marriage contract: identifying and consent of the spouses, the guardian's offer, two witnesses, and no prohibition between the parties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يشترط لصحة عقد الزواج ما يأتي:
1- تعيين الزوجين.
2- رضا الزوجين.
3- الإيجاب من الولي.
4- شهادة شاهدين.
5- ألا تكون المرأة محرَّمة على الرجل تحريماً مؤبداً أو مؤقتاً.
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 13 explained in plain English
This article sets out the conditions for the validity of the marriage contract, which are five that must all be met:
- Identifying the spouses: that is, specifying both the husband and the wife clearly and without ambiguity.
- The spouses' consent: marriage is not valid without the consent of the man and the woman.
- The offer from the guardian: that is, the offer must come from the woman's guardian.
- The testimony of two witnesses.
- The woman is not prohibited to the man, permanently or temporarily.
This article completes Article 12, which sets the two pillars of the contract: the spouses, who are a man and a woman, and offer and acceptance. The pillars are the foundation of the contract, and the conditions are what is needed for its validity.
It is worth distinguishing the conditions of validity listed here from the condition of enforceability: Article 14 provides that the man's suitability (kafa'a) for the woman is a condition for the enforceability of the marriage contract, not for its validity, meaning that the absence of suitability does not prevent the contract from being valid but allows certain relatives to object to it as that article provides.
If doubt arises over the validity of a marriage contract because one of these conditions is missing, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status.
Practical example
A marriage was concluded in Riyadh with an offer from the bride's father and acceptance from the groom, in the presence of two witnesses, with the consent of the spouses and no ground of prohibition between them. Here the five conditions of validity that the article mentions were met.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 13 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
Is marriage valid without a guardian in Saudi Arabia?
The article makes it a condition for the validity of the marriage contract that the offer comes from the guardian.
Is the woman's consent a condition for the validity of the marriage?
Yes. The consent of the spouses is one of the conditions for the validity of the marriage contract.
How many witnesses are required in a marriage contract?
The article requires the testimony of two witnesses for the contract to be valid.
Is suitability (kafa'a) a condition for the validity of the marriage?
No. Article 14 provides that the man's suitability for the woman is a condition for the enforceability of the contract, not its validity.
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 11
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.
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- أ
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.