Article 75 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 75 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثاني: النسب
Li'an results in negation of the child's lineage, taking into account the DNA test result; lineage is restored if the man retracts his denial, even after the judgment, and his denial is not accepted afterwards.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يترتب على اللعان -مع مراعاة نتيجة فحص الحمض النووي وفقاً لأحكام المادة (الرابعة والسبعين) من هذا النظام- انتفاء نسب الولد، ويثبت نسب الولد ولو بعد الحكم بنفيه إذا أكذب الرجل نفسه، ولا يقبل منه نفيه بعد ذلك.
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 75 explained in plain English
This article sets out the effects of li'an, whose conditions and procedures are regulated by Articles 73 and 74.
The basic effect: li'an results in negation of the child's lineage to the man. But the article qualifies this with the phrase "taking into account the result of the DNA test in accordance with the provisions of Article 74", meaning that the result of the test, if carried out with the woman's agreement and on the court's order, is taken into account in giving effect to this result.
The man retracting his denial: if the man withdraws his denial and admits that he was lying, the child's lineage to him is established even after a judgment negating it has been issued.
Denial is not accepted again: after the man retracts and lineage is established, his denial is not accepted from him afterwards, so he may not return to li'an to deny the same lineage.
Article 76 mentions li'an between the spouses among the cases in which separation between spouses occurs. To assess a particular case it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status matters.
Practical example
A judgment was issued negating a child's lineage after li'an between a couple. A year later the man returned to the court and retracted his denial. The child's lineage to him is established despite the earlier judgment, and he is not allowed to deny it again.
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 75 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
What is the effect of li'an on a child's lineage?
It results in negation of the child's lineage, taking into account the DNA test result under Article 74.
Does lineage return if the man retracts after li'an?
Yes, the child's lineage is established even after the judgment negating it if the man retracts his denial.
Can the man deny lineage again after retracting?
No, his denial is not accepted from him after he has retracted.
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 67
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.
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 إل
- 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
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.

