Article 21 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 21 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثالث: أركان عقد الزواج وشروطه
The article requires a marriage witness to be a man who is of age, of sound mind, hears and understands the offer and acceptance, and is Muslim if the husband is Muslim.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يشترط في الشاهد أن يكون رجلاً بالغاً عاقلاً سامعاً الإيجاب والقبول فاهماً المقصود بهما، وأن يكون مسلماً متى كان الزوجُ مسلماً.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article sets who is fit to be a witness to the marriage contract. The witness must:
- Be a man.
- Be of age.
- Be of sound mind.
- Hear the offer and acceptance; being present without hearing them is not enough.
- Understand what they mean, that is, realize that what is going on is a marriage contract.
- Be Muslim where the husband is Muslim.
Note that the condition of Islam is tied to the religion of the husband; if the husband is Muslim, the witness must be Muslim.
The conditions of hearing and understanding also mean that testimony is not achieved by merely formal presence; the witness must hear the offer and acceptance and understand their meaning.
This article follows Article 20, which regulates the marriage of an obstructed woman through the court, and precedes Article 22, with which the provisions on women prohibited in marriage begin.
If there is doubt about the validity of a contract because the witnesses did not meet these conditions, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status.
Practical example
A marriage was concluded in Dammam in the presence of two witnesses, one an adult man of sound mind and the other a 13-year-old boy who had not reached majority. The second witness does not meet the condition of being of age that the article requires.
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 21 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
What are the conditions for a witness to a marriage contract?
He must be an adult man of sound mind, hear the offer and acceptance, understand what they mean, and be Muslim where the husband is Muslim.
Is a woman's testimony valid for a marriage contract?
The article requires the witness to be a man.
Is it enough for a witness to be present without hearing the contract?
No. The witness must hear the offer and acceptance and understand what they mean.
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.