Family
Personal Status Law 1997 based on Ibadi and Sunni fiqh
The Personal Status Law of 1997 codifies marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance, drawing on Ibadi jurisprudence alongside Sunni schools.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Sharia divisions of the Courts of First Instance and Courts of Appeal.
- Deadline — 30 days to appeal a personal status judgment
Governing law
- Personal Status Law, Royal Decree 32 of 1997
- Royal Decree 55 of 2010 amending certain provisions
In practice
Oman is the only state where Ibadi Islam is the majority tradition, and the 1997 code reflects Ibadi jurisprudence in places where Sunni or Shia codes would differ, so reasoning by analogy from Gulf neighbours is less reliable here than elsewhere. Marriage age is eighteen for both sexes with judicial exception. Custody of young children generally rests with the mother, guardianship with the father. Inheritance follows fixed sharia shares. Non-Muslims may have their own religious law applied in personal status matters.