Qatari legal terms, explained

Qatar legal dictionary: Arabic and English legal terms explained

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59 terms

شيك ضمانSecurity chequesheik daman: The everyday name for a cheque given to secure an obligation rather than as payment. The law has no separate category for it; a cheque is an order to pay on sight, and proving the security purpose is on the writer.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: Is a security cheque enforceable in Qatar?
شيك بدون رصيدBounced chequesheik bidoon raseed: A cheque the bank returns for insufficient funds. The bank records the return on the cheque; a criminal complaint and direct enforcement can both follow.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: What happens after a bounced cheque in Qatar?
إفادة البنكBank's statement on the cheque: The bank's official statement that the cheque, or the rest of it, could not be paid. It is required with a direct-enforcement request (Judicial Enforcement Law, Article 24). The dated, signed note written on the cheque itself is the «بيان» of Trade Law Article 595.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: What happens after a bounced cheque in Qatar?
أمر بعدم الدفع (المعارضة في وفاء الشيك)Stop-payment order: The writer's instruction to the bank not to pay a cheque; in the Trade Law, «المعارضة في وفاء الشيك». Accepted only if the cheque was lost or the holder is bankrupt or placed under interdiction (Article 583); otherwise a stop order in bad faith is itself a form of the cheque offence.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: Is a security cheque enforceable in Qatar?
سند تنفيذيEnforceable instrumentsanad tanfeethi: A document the Enforcement Court can enforce directly without a case on the merits, such as a judgment or a returned cheque.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: Judgment enforcement in Qatar: how do you file with the Enforcement Court and check your file?
التنفيذ المباشرDirect enforcement: Enforcing a returned cheque at the Enforcement Court without first suing for the debt, if the cheque is no more than three years old and not endorsed or assigned.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: What happens after a bounced cheque in Qatar?
إثبات الصلحRecording a settlementithbat al-sulh: Having a settlement entered by the Public Prosecution or the court at the holder's request. In a cheque case it ends the criminal case before a final judgment and stops the sentence after one.; Cheques and debtRead the guide: What happens after a bounced cheque in Qatar?
المنع من السفرTravel banman' min al-safar: Also written «منع سفر». An order by a competent authority, often the enforcement judge at a creditor's request, stopping a named person from leaving Qatar until a debt or case is dealt with.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: How do I check for, and lift, a travel ban in Qatar?
تصريح خروجExit permit: The employer's permission a worker once needed to leave Qatar. Abolished for most workers since 2018 and 2020; only staff the employer has named in advance, on a list capped at 5 per cent of its workforce, need prior approval.; LabourRead the guide: Do I still need an exit permit to leave Qatar?
بلاغ هروب (بلاغ تغيب، ترك العمل)Absconding reportbalagh huroob: The common name, also «بلاغ تغيب», for the employer's report that an expatriate worker has left work; the law says «ترك العمل». The employer must report within 14 days. Leaving work is an offence punishable by prison or a fine, and can lead to deportation; an unfounded report can be challenged.; LabourRead the guide: What is an absconding report in Qatar, and how is it cancelled?
مكافأة نهاية الخدمةEnd-of-service gratuity: The lump sum owed when a contract ends after a full year of service: at least three weeks' basic wage for each year.; LabourRead the guide: Qatar gratuity calculator: how is end-of-service gratuity calculated?
فترة الاختبار (فترة التجربة)Probation period: The trial period at the start of a contract, called «فترة الاختبار» in the Labour Law and «فترة التجربة» in everyday use: at most six months and only once with the same employer, with its own notice rules.; LabourRead the guide: Resigning in Qatar: notice periods and what you're owed
مدة الإخطار (مهلة الإنذار)Notice period: The written notice before ending a contract, «مدة الإخطار» in the Labour Law and «مهلة الإنذار» or «فترة الإنذار» in everyday use: one month in the first two years, two months after that, with different rules on probation.; LabourRead the guide: Resigning in Qatar: notice periods and what you're owed
شهادة عدم ممانعةNo-objection certificate (NOC): The employer's approval a worker once needed to change employer. No longer required since September 2020; the Ministry of Labour decides the request.; LabourRead the guide: How do you change jobs or sponsorship in Qatar without an NOC?
لجنة فض المنازعات العماليةLabour Dispute Settlement Committee: A committee, chaired by a judge, that decides individual labour disputes the Ministry cannot settle. Its decision is enforceable at once and can be appealed to the Court of Appeal within 15 days (from the decision, or from notice if it was given in absence).; LabourRead the guide: Labour court in Qatar: where is it, when is it open, and how do you file?
شرط عدم المنافسةNon-compete clause: A contract term stopping a worker from joining a competitor after leaving. It can last up to two years and binds only once the Ministry approves it.; LabourRead the guide: How do you change jobs or sponsorship in Qatar without an NOC?
الأجر الأساسيBasic wage: The wage without allowances. Notice compensation, gratuity and leave pay are calculated on it.; LabourRead the guide: Qatar gratuity calculator: how is end-of-service gratuity calculated?
خلعKhulakhul': Ending the marriage at the wife's request in return for compensation she pays; in law it is a faskh (dissolution), not a talaq. It is by agreement, or, if the husband refuses, the court orders separation after attempting reconciliation, once she waives her lawful financial rights and returns the dower (Family Law, Articles 118 and 122).; FamilyRead the guide: How does khula work in Qatar?
نفقةMaintenancenafaqa: The money a husband or father must pay for a wife's or children's living costs, set by agreement or by the court.; FamilyRead the guide: Maintenance (nafaqa) in Qatar: for a wife, for children, and how it is set
حضانةCustodyhadana: The day-to-day care of a child, usually with the mother up to set ages, distinct from guardianship.; FamilyRead the guide: Child custody in Qatar: who keeps the children, until what age, and visits
ولايةGuardianshipwilaya: Legal authority over a child's affairs, such as education, travel and property, usually with the father.; FamilyRead the guide: Child custody in Qatar: who keeps the children, until what age, and visits
عدةWaiting period'idda: The period after a divorce or a husband's death during which a woman may not remarry, which also affects maintenance and inheritance.; FamilyRead the guide: How does divorce work for residents of Qatar?
شهادة حصر الورثةHeirs' certificatehasr al-waratha: Often called «حصر الوراثة» or «إعلام الوراثة». The Family Court's certificate naming the heirs of a deceased person; who inherits is settled by it. Heirs must apply to the judge within 30 days of the death being registered (Law No. 4 of 2023).; FamilyRead the guide: How is an inheritance divided in Qatar?
محكمة الأسرةFamily Court: The court that hears marriage, divorce, custody, maintenance and inheritance cases, and whose family documentation judge issues the heirs' certificate.; FamilyRead the guide: Qatar Family Court: where it is, what it handles and how to file a case
تخارجTakharuj: An agreement in which one heir gives up their share of an estate to the others for a known amount, after the death is proven and the heirs are determined (Family Law, Articles 299 and 301).; FamilyRead the guide: How is an inheritance divided in Qatar?
فرضFixed sharefard: A share of an estate the law fixes as a fraction, such as a wife's eighth when the deceased left children. Fixed shares are paid before residuary heirs.; FamilyRead the guide: How is an inheritance divided in Qatar?
تعصيبResiduary inheritanceta'seeb: Taking what is left of an estate after the fixed shares, as sons do, a son taking twice a daughter's share.; FamilyRead the guide: How is an inheritance divided in Qatar?
لجنة فض المنازعات الإيجاريةRental Disputes Settlement Committee: Since 3 September 2026 (Law No. 8 of 2026) it alone decides landlord–tenant disputes, and courts do not accept a lease claim until it has ruled. Its decisions are appealed to the Court of Appeal within 15 days.; Property and rentalRead the guide: How do rental disputes work in Qatar after the 2026 amendment?
التأمين النقدي (تأمين الإيجار)Security deposit: The sum a tenant pays at the start of a lease, to be returned at the end less any amounts properly deducted. For housing it cannot exceed two months' rent.; Property and rentalRead the guide: Eviction and security deposits in Qatar: what landlords and tenants can do
إخلاءEvictionikhla': Ending a tenant's occupation of a property, which in Qatar goes through the rental committee, not the police.; Property and rentalRead the guide: Eviction and security deposits in Qatar: what landlords and tenants can do
بيع على الخارطةOff-plan sale: Buying a property before it is built, with the protections and risks the law sets for developers and buyers.; Property and rentalRead the guide: Buying off-plan property in Qatar: protections and risks
سجل تجاريCommercial registration (CR): The Ministry of Commerce and Industry's record of a trader or company and its activities, renewed every one to five years.; CompaniesRead the guide: Commercial registration and trade licence in Qatar: what is the difference, and how do you renew or amend them?
رخصة تجاريةTrade licence: The licence that lets one premises operate, issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry against the Ministry of Interior's establishment registration number; separate from the CR, and never longer than it.; CompaniesRead the guide: Commercial registration and trade licence in Qatar: what is the difference, and how do you renew or amend them?
شركة ذات مسؤولية محدودةLimited liability company (WLL / LLC): Qatar's most common company form: one to 50 partners, each liable only up to their share, no legal minimum capital.; CompaniesRead the guide: WLL or LLC in Qatar: what is the difference?
مركز قطر للمالQatar Financial Centre (QFC): A separate business platform with its own companies law, court and tax rules, allowing 100 per cent foreign ownership.; CompaniesRead the guide: What is the Qatar International Court (QICDRC), and which cases can it hear?
وكالة تجاريةCommercial agency: Exclusive distribution or representation of a principal's products or services by a Qatari national, or a wholly Qatari-owned company, entered in the Ministry's commercial agents register. A sole distributor counts as an agent. Closed to non-Qatari capital.; CompaniesRead the guide: How does Qatar's Commercial Agents Law work for a foreign brand and its Qatari agent?
تستر تجاريCommercial concealmenttasattur: Letting a non-Qatari run a business he is not licensed for, using someone else's name, commercial registration or licence. Both sides commit an offence (Law No. 3 of 2023).; CompaniesRead the guide: Registering a business in someone else's name in Qatar: the legal risks
تصفيةLiquidationtasfiya: Winding up a company: collecting its assets, paying creditors and distributing what is left before it is struck off.; CompaniesRead the guide: How do you close or liquidate a company in Qatar, and what happens to creditors?
تحكيمArbitrationtahkeem: Resolving a dispute before private arbitrators instead of the courts, when the contract provides for it.; CompaniesRead the guide: How does arbitration work in Qatar, and when does it apply?
محكمة الاستثمار والتجارةInvestment and Trade Court: The court for commercial and investment disputes, with short deadlines: 15 days from notification to appeal and 30 for cassation.; CompaniesRead the guide: Partner disputes in a Qatar company: exits, deadlock and your options
أمر الأداءPayment order: A court order for a money debt that is in writing, fixed in amount and due, issued without a hearing (Civil and Commercial Procedure Law, Articles 147 to 154).; Cheques and debtRead the guide: How to recover money someone owes you in Qatar
النيابة العامةPublic Prosecution: The authority that investigates crimes, decides whether to charge, and prosecutes before the criminal courts.; CriminalRead the guide: How a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of Cassation
جنحةMisdemeanourjunha: A less serious offence, tried by the misdemeanour court. Cheque offences are misdemeanours.; CriminalRead the guide: How a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of Cassation
جنايةFelonyjinaya: A serious offence tried by the Court of First Instance sitting with three judges (the criminal court), with heavier penalties and its own procedure.; CriminalRead the guide: How a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of Cassation
استدعاءSummonsistid'a': A police or prosecution notice requiring a person to attend and give a statement. Attend, and get advice before you speak.; CriminalRead the guide: Received a police summons in Qatar? What to do in the first 48 hours
حكم حضوري اعتباريJudgment treated as given in your presence: A judgment given when a notified accused stayed away, treated as if given in their presence; the appeal period runs from legal notice.; CriminalRead the guide: How a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of Cassation
حكم غيابيJudgment in absentia: A judgment given in the accused's absence, which can be objected to: in misdemeanours within seven days of personal notice, in felonies from arrest (Criminal Procedure Code, Article 264).; CriminalRead the guide: How a criminal case moves in Qatar: from the police to the Court of Cassation
إبعادDeportationib'ad: Removal of a foreigner from Qatar, by court order after a conviction or by administrative decision. A court's deportation order can be appealed; the administrative court cannot cancel the Minister's order.; CriminalRead the guide: How does deportation from Qatar work, and can it be challenged?
شهادة حسن السيرة والسلوكPolice clearance certificate: The Ministry of Interior's good conduct certificate («شهادة حسن سيرة وسلوك»). It states any final conviction, or pending case, for a felony or misdemeanour; it is valid three months in Qatar and six months abroad.; CriminalRead the guide: How do you get a police clearance certificate in Qatar, and what can stop it?
محكمة التمييزCourt of Cassation: Qatar's highest court. It reviews how the law was applied, not the facts, within 60 days of a Court of Appeal judgment (30 for Investment and Trade Court cases).; Courts and procedureRead the guide: How do you appeal to the Court of Cassation in Qatar?
استئنافAppealisti'naf: Asking the Court of Appeal to re-examine a first-instance judgment within the period the law sets, usually 15 or 30 days.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: Which court in Qatar hears your case? How Qatar's courts and committees are organised
حجية الأمر المقضيRes judicata: The binding force of a final judgment on what it actually decided, between the same parties, on the same subject and the same cause. Whether a refused claim can be brought again depends on whether the court decided the right itself or only refused the claim as it stood.; Courts and procedure
دعوى محاسبةAccount settlement claim: A claim asking the court to work out what each partner owes or is owed, often with a court-appointed accounting expert.; Companies
مأمورية الخبيرExpert's remit: The task and period the court sets for its expert. A report that goes beyond it can be challenged on objection.; Courts and procedure
غرفة المشورةCouncil chamber (Court of Cassation): The Court of Cassation's first review of an appeal, which can refuse it without a hearing.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: How do you appeal to the Court of Cassation in Qatar?
وكالةPower of attorneywakala: A document authorising someone to act for you, general or limited, made before a notary and revocable.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: How do you make, attest or cancel a power of attorney in Qatar?
الميزانAl Meezan: Qatar's official legal portal, where the laws the guides cite are published.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: Which court in Qatar hears your case? How Qatar's courts and committees are organised
محكمة التنفيذEnforcement Court: The court that enforces judgments, returned cheques and other enforceable instruments under the Judicial Enforcement Law. Civil judgments are enforced there, not at the Ministry of Interior's judgment enforcement department («إدارة تنفيذ الأحكام»).; Courts and procedureRead the guide: Judgment enforcement in Qatar: how do you file with the Enforcement Court and check your file?
قاضي التنفيذEnforcement judge: The judge at the Enforcement Court who orders seizures, travel bans and payment. The debtor may object to him within ten working days of being notified, and he may give up to 90 working days to bring a full claim.; Courts and procedureRead the guide: Judgment enforcement in Qatar: how do you file with the Enforcement Court and check your file?

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Plain explanations of how these terms are used in Qatari law, not advice on a case.

What the law says

The terms follow the laws the guides cite: the Civil Code (Law No. 22 of 2004), the Civil and Commercial Procedure Law (Law No. 13 of 1990), the Trade Law (Law No. 27 of 2006), the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), Law No. 21 of 2015 on expatriates, the Family Law (Law No. 22 of 2006), Law No. 4 of 2023 on estate division, the Rent Law (Law No. 4 of 2008, amended by Law No. 8 of 2026), the Commercial Companies Law (Law No. 11 of 2015), the Commercial Agents Law (Law No. 8 of 2002), Law No. 3 of 2023 on concealment, the Investment and Trade Court Law (Law No. 21 of 2021), the Penal Code (Law No. 11 of 2004), the Criminal Procedure Code (Law No. 23 of 2004), the Judicial Enforcement Law (Law No. 4 of 2024) and the Judicial Authority Law (Law No. 8 of 2023). Checked on Al Meezan on 28 October 2026.

Read on Al Meezan

Faysel Al-Mohannadi, lawyer, at Al Faisal Law Firm in Doha

Written byFaysel Al-MohannadiLawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation

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