Article 67 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 67 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثاني: النسب
A child's lineage to his father is established only by birth within a valid marriage contract, by acknowledgment or by evidence, and his lineage to his mother is established by proof of birth.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- مع مراعاة حكم المادة (الرابعة والثلاثين) من هذا النظام، لا يثبت نسب الولد إلى أبيه إلا بالولادة في عقد زواج صحيح أو بالإقرار أو بالبينة.
2- يثبت نسب الولد إلى أمه بثبوت الولادة.
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 67 explained in plain English
This article sets out the ways of establishing lineage, and distinguishes between a child's lineage to his father and his lineage to his mother.
First: lineage to the father, which is established only in one of three ways, exhaustively:
- Birth within a valid marriage contract; Article 68 details the conditions for this and the maximum duration of pregnancy.
- Acknowledgment, that is, a man's admission that the child is his son; Article 69 sets out its conditions.
- Evidence, that is, the proof presented to the court.
The first paragraph begins with the phrase "subject to the provision of Article 34", meaning that the rule of that article remains applicable in this matter, and its text should be consulted to know its content.
Second: lineage to the mother, which is established merely by proof of birth; for a woman proved to have given birth to the child, his lineage to her is established without the need for a contract or acknowledgment.
This article has an important effect that comes in Article 72: if lineage is established as Article 67 provides, a claim to deny it is not heard, while the route of mutual imprecation (li'an) regulated in Article 73 and what follows remains. Anyone with a dispute over lineage would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status matters.
Practical example
A couple in Dammam had a child during their valid marriage. The child's lineage to his father is established by birth within a valid marriage contract, and his lineage to his mother is established by proof of her giving birth to him.
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 67 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
What are the ways of establishing a child's lineage to his father?
It is established only by birth within a valid marriage contract, by acknowledgment, or by evidence.
How is a child's lineage to his mother established?
A child's lineage to his mother is established by proof of birth.
Can lineage be denied after it is established in these ways?
Under Article 72, a claim to deny lineage established under this article is not heard, and Article 73 regulates denial of lineage by mutual imprecation where the birth was within the marriage contract.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Lineage
- Article 24
The article permanently prohibits a man from marrying a woman against whom he performed li'an before the court, even if he later retracts his claim.
يحرم على التأبيد زواج الرجل من المرأة التي لاعنها أمام القضاء ولو أكذب نفسه.
- Article 34
The article provides that the court annuls a defective marriage, sets its effects before and after consummation, and applies its effects to a void marriage after consummation if the spouses did not know its ruling.
1- تفسخ المحكمة عقد الزواج الفاسد، ولا يترتب عليه أي أثر قبل الدخول إلا الطلاق إذا أوقعه الزوج فيقع بائناً بينونةً صغرى. 2- يترتب على الزواج الفاسد بعد الدخول م
- Article 68
A child's lineage to his father is established if he is born during a valid marriage or after it ends before the maximum pregnancy period of 10 months passes, unless it is proved that the spouses could not have met.
1- يثبت نسب الولد إلى أبيه إذا ولد حال قيام عقد الزواج الصحيح أو بعد انتهائه قبل انقضاء مدة أكثر الحمل، ما لم يثبت عدم إمكان التلاقي بين الزوجين. 2- مدة أكثر ال
- Article 69
The article sets six conditions for establishing lineage by acknowledgment of paternity, even during a terminal illness, including that the child's lineage is unknown and the relationship is proved by DNA testing.
يشترط لثبوت النسب بالإقرار بالبنوة ولو في مرض الموت الآتي: 1- أن يكون المقر بالغاً عاقلاً مختاراً. 2- أن يكون الولد مجهول النسب. 3- أن يصدقه المقر له إن كان بال
- Article 70
The article allows the court to order DNA testing in exceptional cases, in a dispute over lineage or at the request of a competent body, provided the child's lineage is unknown and the age difference allows it.
للمحكمة في الأحوال الاستثنائية، أو عند التنازع في إثبات نسب الولد، أو بناءً على طلب جهة مختصة، أن تأمر بإجراء فحص الحمض النووي، وذلك وفق القواعد المنظمة لذلك، و
- Article 71
A woman's acknowledgment does not establish a child's lineage to her current or former husband, except by the husband's acknowledgment under Article 69 or by evidence of birth within a valid or defective marriage.
إذا كان المقِرُّ امرأة فلا يثبت نسب الولد من زوجها الحالي أو السابق إلا بإقراره وفق الشروط الواردة في المادة (التاسعة والستين) من هذا النظام، أو قامت البينة على
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.