The role of legal legislation is not limited to establishing justice and achieving social peace; it also carries an essential media dimension that should not be underestimated. It is inconceivable for laws to be issued in isolation from the society they address and seek to regulate.
This communicative nature of legislation is evident in the way it combines the message — the legal text — with the sender, namely the legislator, the recipient, which is the general public including citizens and residents of the concerned society, and the medium — the Official Gazette.
Such transparency in presenting laws is inseparable from the transparency of enforcing them. A verdict in a legal case cannot be issued before the defendant is informed of the lawsuit filed against them, so that they may fully exercise their right to understand the case and respond to it with the evidence they possess — a fundamental requirement for achieving justice.
For this reason, Law No. (24) of 2017 on the National Address was issued in the State of Qatar, requiring everyone residing in Qatar to have a clearly registered official national address, through which any legal notifications or lawsuits can be served.
The law states in Article 5 that “judicial notifications and official notices served to the national address shall be deemed valid and produce all legal effects.”
In the Balance of Islam
When examining the roots of the right to be informed of laws and legal claims in Islamic heritage, we find in Sunan Abu Dawood a narration by Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent me to Yemen as a judge. I said: O Messenger of Allah, you are sending me while I am young and have no knowledge of judging? He said: Allah will guide your heart and steady your tongue. When the two disputing parties sit before you, do not judge until you hear from the other as you have heard from the first; that is more likely to result in a just verdict.” He added: “I never doubted a judgment after that.”
Therefore, the Muslim mind, in particular, is characterized by a critical spirit and wide room for reflection on the laws of the universe and contemplation of God’s signs. However, this room is bounded by clear Sharia limits. The believer is commanded to reflect on what points to the Creator’s existence and to use that knowledge to contribute to the development of the earth, fulfilling the divine principle of stewardship.
Conversely, this same mind is strictly forbidden from exploring alternatives or engaging in discussions contradicting God’s explicit commands or prohibitions. A Muslim has no choice before God’s rulings; he submits his mind and conscience willingly to divine legislation after having affirmed, with his reason and heart, belief in God as Lord and in Muhammad ﷺ as the final, infallible Prophet who delivered the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the nation, and dispelled its distress through God’s will.
This concept is clearly reflected in the verse from Surah Al-Ahzab:
“It is not for a believing man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice about their affair.”
And in Surah An-Nisa:
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in full, willing submission.”
Such submission is only valid after a person has been informed of these rulings. In Islam, there is no responsibility without knowledge, and no accountability without awareness. This is clarified in the verse from Surah Al-Isra:
“And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.”
Accountability before God is lifted in cases where there is no deliberate intent, such as mistakes, forgetfulness, coercion, sleep, infancy, or insanity — based on the Prophet’s ﷺ saying, reported by Ibn Abbas and found in Sahih al-Jami’:
“My nation has been pardoned for mistakes, forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do.”
Also in the hadith narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in Sunan an-Nasa’i:
“The pen has been lifted from three: the sleeper until he awakens, the child until he grows up, and the insane until he regains reason.”
Intention precedes action; and there is no intention without will, nor will without understanding.
Within this legitimate framework of thought for the Muslim, Abbas Mahmoud Al-Aqqad states in his book Thinking is an Islamic Duty (1957):
“The mind that reflects and extracts from its thinking the essence of opinion and insight — the Noble Qur’an refers to it with various terms that sometimes overlap in meaning and sometimes differ depending on the context: it is thought, observation, insight, contemplation, consideration, remembrance, knowledge, and all other mental faculties. While some terms overlap, no single word encompasses the meaning of all others.”
Within this context, the divine laws of the universe remain constant and orderly — whether man knows them or not. The role of scientists, as in Newton’s discovery of the law of gravity, is merely to uncover these laws, not to invent them. Exploring such divine laws is considered an act of worship, as expressed in the verse from Surah Al-Ankabut:
“Say, travel through the land and observe how He began creation.”
And in Surah Fatir:
“Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.”
In contrast, within the realm of secular law, the principle of non-retroactivity is a foundational one. A new law may not be applied to past events. Legal scholar Yahya Qassem Ali notes in his study at the Faculty of Law, University of Aden, titled Introduction to the Study of Legal Sciences: Theory of Law, Theory of Rights – A Comparative Study “The principle of non-retroactivity is one of the fundamental principles in law, affirmed by most constitutions, including Article 187 of the Egyptian Constitution, Article 30 of the Syrian Constitution, Article 64(b) of the Iraqi Constitution, and Article 179 of the Kuwaiti Constitution.”
He adds that logic dictates:
“A law should not apply to the past. By its very nature, the law is a message to people to guide their behavior accordingly. Therefore, this message must precede the conduct it aims to regulate so that the conduct can be judged as either compliant or non-compliant with the law. This means that a law’s directives are inherently intended for future conduct, not past actions.”
In light of this, the principle of legal responsibility emerges, which holds every person accountable for their actions if they violate a duty, cause harm to others, or breach legal rules. This principle includes three main types of responsibility:
1. Criminal liability — concerning offenses and punishments,
2. Civil liability — related to compensating others for damages, aiming to repair harm rather than punish,
3. Disciplinary liability — concerning the accountability of public employees for breaches of professional duty.
The Journey of Building the Legislative Apparatus
According to the website of the Qatari Ministry of Justice, the legislative journey in Qatar began in the 1950s with the issuance of the first decree on income tax in 1954, followed by the Customs Law in 1955. In 1961, Law No. (1) was issued establishing the Official Gazette to publish laws and decrees.
Organizational efforts continued with the establishment of the Legal Affairs Department in 1962, headed by the State Legal Advisor, until the position of Director of the Legal Affairs Department was created in 1967.
The year 1970 marked a pivotal shift with the formation of Qatar’s first official government and the establishment of the Ministry of Justice under Law No. (5) of 1970, which defined the powers of ministers and assigned the responsibilities of ministries and other government entities. Several key tasks were assigned to the Ministry of Justice, most notably overseeing the administrative and financial affairs of non-Sharia courts, monitoring the conduct of judges, and providing legal studies and opinions to various ministries.
At that time, the Ministry of Justice was composed of several entities, including the Civil Court, Labor and Traffic Court, the Municipality Affairs Court, the Legal Affairs Department, and the Real Estate Registration and Documentation Department. Over the years, the Ministry has worked on developing its operations, achieving administrative and technical stability, strengthening its workforce with experts and legal researchers, and reorganizing its structure through creating, merging, and abolishing departments as needed.
In 1990, Amiri Decision No. (3) was issued regarding legislative preparation procedures, followed by Amiri Decision No. (14) of 1991 on the same subject. Additionally, Decree-Law No. (14) of 1991 was issued to regulate the Ministry of Justice and define its updated responsibilities. As part of this reform, the Legal Affairs Department was replaced by two separate departments: the Fatwa and Legislation Department and the State Litigation Department. Other departments included the Real Estate Registration Department, the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department, and the Planning and Follow-up Unit, which had been established by a decision of the Supreme Planning Council in 1989.
In 1994, Minister of Justice Decision No. (6) was issued to establish administrative divisions within the Ministry and assign their respective functions, completing the Ministry’s administrative structure according to a new vision aimed at enhancing its performance and supporting the state’s legislative and regulatory processes.
In this context, it is inconceivable to oblige people to follow laws without informing them. Thus, since the 1960s, Qatar’s Official Gazette has emerged as a key instrument for transparently publishing legislation to the public. Law No. (1) of 1961, establishing the Official Gazette, states in its first article that “an official government gazette shall be created, in which all legislation issued after the enforcement of this law shall be published, in order to inform all people of any new laws.”
According to Article Two of this law, legislation becomes binding and effective thirty days after publication in the Official Gazette, unless otherwise stated. The article stipulates that “every new piece of legislation shall be considered known throughout Qatar thirty days after its publication in the Official Gazette. This period may be shortened or extended by an explicit provision in the new legislation, without prejudice to previous rules applicable to laws issued before this law.”
The Official Gazette has since evolved by compiling laws into volumes and issuing specialized legal booklets, helping both professionals and the public easily access legal texts. The Gazette has become a documented record of laws and their developments.
The Gazette also expanded its role in officially translating legislation to support transparency and serve the international community, investors, and non-Arabic-speaking residents in Qatar. This development was reinforced by Minister of Justice Decision No. (6) of 1994, which assigned the Translation and Official Gazette Division the responsibility of “translating all documents upon request from any department within the Ministry, compiling and reviewing materials prepared for publication in the Official Gazette, preparing them for printing, and distributing issues of the Gazette domestically and internationally.”
With the digital transformation, the Mezan Legal Portal was launched, providing immediate access to legislation, updates, and smart legal text search tools. The Ministry of Justice is also preparing to launch a fully electronic version of the Official Gazette, aiming to improve legal accessibility without relying on the printed edition.
The Digital Future of the Official Gazette
The Official Gazette has played a pivotal role in documenting legal modernization, especially with the issuance of key laws in 2020, such as the Arbitration Law in Disputes, amendments to the Civil and Commercial Procedure Law, and the regulation of labor relations. The Gazette reaffirmed its role in enabling specialists and official entities to stay updated on legislation as it evolves.
This role is emphasized in Article (2) of Minister of Justice Decision No. (11) of 2020, which defines the procedures for preserving original issues of the Official Gazette, stating: “The department shall preserve the original issues of the Official Gazette and electronic copies thereof, ensuring the continuous renewal of these electronic copies in accordance with proper archival practices.”
Since its inception, the Gazette has committed to serving as a comprehensive official reference, surpassing the traditional role of governmental media, becoming a vital bridge between the legislator and the public, and an essential component of good governance systems.
Today, with the rapid development of legislation related to investment, the environment, cybersecurity, and social justice, there is an increasing need for flexible and fast legal publishing mechanisms. The future of the Official Gazette appears promising, especially with the move toward integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and instant notifications when laws are issued or amended.
Once laws are digitized and compiled into a centralized database, AI will be capable of processing this data at remarkable speed, allowing it to instantly retrieve laws relevant to any topic—saving time on research and analysis while delivering accurate and reliable results.
Moreover, AI will contribute to accelerating all legal procedures and make the law accessible to everyone with ease, potentially reducing the need for lawyers, consultants, judges, or even ministries and authorities, as legal information and services become directly and automatically available to all.
AI brings a transformative shift to the legal field by automating routine tasks, enhancing accuracy, and supporting more efficient decision-making.
According to the University of UPES, many legal entities now rely on AI tools to speed up document review processes. These tools can analyze thousands of legal documents quickly and accurately, identifying critical and relevant information—thus reducing the need for time-consuming, error-prone manual review. They also streamline due diligence, contract analysis, and case law research.
AI algorithms have also become capable of predicting the outcomes of legal cases by analyzing historical judgment data. Lawyers benefit from these insights to build stronger arguments and offer more precise legal advice to their clients. This data-driven approach enhances strategic planning and improves decision-making.
Lawyers are no longer required to spend long hours searching through books and references. AI-powered legal research tools can scan vast amounts of legal texts, including court rulings, articles, and legal literature, and retrieve relevant information within seconds—greatly speeding up the process and allowing professionals to focus on core legal tasks.
AI solutions in contract management provide effective tools for drafting, reviewing, and managing contracts with high precision. These systems help detect potential risks and ensure compliance with legislation, thus reducing legal liabilities and expediting transactions.
Chatbots and virtual assistants have also become key tools in enhancing client experience by offering instant responses to client inquiries and updates on case statuses. This not only improves client satisfaction but also frees up lawyers to concentrate on complex cases and strategic legal work.
The Law Is Binding on All
Since 1961 until today, the Official Gazette has remained a mirror of the state, its living legal memory, and a platform documenting rights and obligations, ensuring that the law reaches everyone without exception. It is not merely an official bulletin—it is the voice of justice in Qatar’s journey toward an advanced legal system. One of the fundamental pillars of justice is that the defendant must be informed of the lawsuit filed against them and be given the right to respond and present their arguments.
Islamic jurisprudence also addresses the issue of ruling in the absence of one party. A narration, transmitted through Al-Kashuri from Al-Hudhafi from Abdul Malik Al-Dhamari from Muhammad Al-Ghafari, who said that Ibn Abi Dhi’b Al-Juhani told him from Amr bin Uthman bin Affan: A man came to Umar bin Al-Khattab with one of his eyes gouged out. Umar said to him, “Bring your opponent.” The man replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, is your anger not enough for what you see?” Umar said, “Perhaps you gouged out both of your opponent’s eyes.” When the opponent arrived, indeed both of his eyes were gouged out. Umar said, “Once I heard the argument of the other, the ruling became clear.”
Law No. (12) of 2016 concerning the Official Gazette states in Article (3): “The Official Gazette shall publish laws, decree-laws, other legislative instruments, and any material required by law to be published in the Official Gazette. Such publication shall be deemed notification to all, and the published material shall be binding upon everyone. No claim of ignorance or denial of knowledge thereof shall be accepted from the date of publication.”
Therefore, no one may claim in court that they were unaware of the law. Legal systems cannot know individuals’ intentions with certainty. The presumption is that the legislative authority has exhausted its effort in discussing the draft laws and presenting them to the nation’s representatives, who then approved them publicly by majority vote. These laws then enter into force after being transparently published through an official channel accessible to all. This is the core function of the Official Gazette—announcing legislation in line with the principle of “no excuse after notice.”
This aligns with the principle of accountability in Islam, which God imposed upon Himself, despite having no need to do so—graciously upholding perfect justice. This is reflected in the verse from Surah An-Nisa:
“Messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
