Article 208 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 208 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثاني: ميراث أصحاب الفروض
The article lists the heirs entitled to fixed shares: the husband, wife, father, mother, paternal grandfather, grandmother, daughter, son's daughter, full sister, paternal half-sister, maternal half-brother and maternal half-sister.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أصحاب الفروض هم: الزوج، والزوجة، والأب، والأم، والجد لأب وإن علا، والجدة، والبنت، وبنت الابن وإن نزل أبوها بمحض الذكور، والأخت الشقيقة، والأخت لأب، والأخ لأم، والأخت لأم.
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 208 explained in plain English
After Article 207 set out the six shares (two-thirds, one-half, one-third, one-quarter, one-sixth and one-eighth), this article identifies the heirs entitled to fixed shares. They are:
- The husband and the wife.
- The father and the mother.
- The paternal grandfather however high and the grandmother.
- The daughter and the son's daughter however far down her father is, provided the line runs through males only, meaning that her father's connection to the deceased runs through males only.
- The full sister and the paternal half-sister.
- The maternal half-brother and the maternal half-sister.
Note that the maternal half-brother is the only male sibling on this list.
Being an heir entitled to a fixed share does not by itself determine the size of the share. The law sets out the share of each one according to which other heirs are present. For example, Article 209 provides that the husband inherits one-half when the wife has no heir descendants, and one-quarter when she has.
To find out the share of a particular heir, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status matters.
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 208 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
Who are the heirs entitled to fixed shares?
The husband, the wife, the father, the mother, the paternal grandfather however high, the grandmother, the daughter, the son's daughter however far down her father is provided the line runs through males only, the full sister, the paternal half-sister, the maternal half-brother, and the maternal half-sister.
Is the maternal half-brother an heir entitled to a fixed share?
Yes. The maternal half-brother and the maternal half-sister are both heirs entitled to fixed shares.
Is the son's daughter an heir entitled to a fixed share?
Yes. The son's daughter, however far down her father is, provided the line runs through males only, is an heir entitled to a fixed share.
More articles on Inheritance and Heirs' Shares
- Article 164
Being missing ends when the missing person is established to be alive or dead, or when a court judgment treats him as deceased.
ينتهي الفقد في أي من الحالتين الآتيتين: 1- إذا تحققت حياة المفقود أو وفاته. 2- إذا صدر حكم قضائي باعتبار المفقود متوفى.
- Article 166
The court rules that a missing person is deceased at an interested person's request if evidence of death exists; otherwise after 4 years from notification if his death is not likely, or one year from disappearance if it is likely.
تحكم المحكمة -بناءً على طلب من ذي مصلحة- بوفاة المفقود إذا قام الدليل على وفاته. وفيما عدا ذلك، على المحكمة ألا تحكم بوفاته إلا بعد مضي المدة المقررة بحسب الظرو
- Article 167
The date of the ruling that a missing person is deceased is treated as his date of death, unless his true date of death is established later.
يعد تاريخ صدور الحكم بوفاة المفقود تاريخاً لوفاته، ما لم يثبت تاريخ وفاته الحقيقي لاحقاً.
- Article 168
If a missing person is ruled deceased and then appears alive, he recovers his property that still exists in kind from the heirs, and his wife returns to his marriage unless she married another man who consummated the marriage.
يترتب على صدور الحكم باعتبار المفقود متوفى ثم ظهوره حيًّا، ما يأتي: 1- أن يرجع المفقود بالموجود عيناً من ماله على الورثة. 2- أن تعود زوجة المفقود إلى عصمته ما ل
- Article 171
A will is carried out from the testator's estate after paying the costs of preparing the deceased for burial and settling his debts, subject to Article 190 of the Law.
مع مراعاة ما تقضي به المادة (التسعون بعد المائة) من هذا النظام، تنفذ الوصية من تركة الموصي، بعد إخراج نفقات تجهيز الميت وأداء ديونه.
- Article 179
A will in favor of an heir is not carried out unless the other heirs approve it after the death, it is carried out in the share of those who approve, and the beneficiary's status as heir is judged at the time of the testator's death.
1- لا وصية لوارث إلا إذا أجازها بعد الوفاة باقي الورثة، فإن أجازها بعضهم فتنفذ في نصيبهم. 2- المعتبر بكون الموصى له وارثاً هو وقت وفاة الموصي.
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.