UAE Federal Law·Federal Law No. (1) of 2018
قانون اتحادي في شأن المراكز الخاصة لتحفيظ القرآن الكريم
Authoritative Arabic version per the official UAE Legislation portal
Law ID
1966
Plain-language summary
Regulates the establishment and operation of private centres for Holy Quran memorisation in the UAE, setting standards for licensing, management, and educationa…
Synced from the official UAE Legislation portal · Plain-language summary by the LEXAI editorial team
Article-level text
27 articles
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Article (1) Definitions In application of the provisions of this Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 2
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Article (2) Law Objectives This law aims to regulate Quran memorisation centres to create a generation that memorises the Holy Quran, proficient in the sciences of the Quran, and characterised by its morals in accordance with the correct Islamic methodology.
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Article (3) Centres Activities The activities of the centres shall be limited to teaching the Holy Quran, recitation, memorisation, and sciences thereof.
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Article (4) 1. The cabinet shall adopt the general policy necessary for the centres to carry out their work in accordance with the objectives stipulated in this Law based on the proposal by the Authority and in coordination with the concerned authorities. 2. The Concerned Authority shall undertake, as follows: a. Determine the curricula and religious programmes taught by the centres. b. Licence centres and accredit teaching staff. c. Monitor and supervise the centres activities and work. d. Organise Holy Quran competitions in particular, and Islamic cultural competitions in general. State : The United Arab Emirates (UAE). Authority : General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (GAIAE). President : President of the concerned authority. Concerned Authority : the authority or entity responsible for licensing Quran Memorisation Centres in each emirate. Centre : Any private entity that practices any of the activities mentioned in this Law.
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 3 e. Approval of certificates issued by the centres.
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Article (5) Licences It is prohibited to establish or manage any centre or teach in the Authority unless after obtaining the necessary licence from the concerned authority.
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Article (6) Any applicant for licence to establish a centre shall adhere to the following requirements: 1. They shall be a UAE citizen; 2. They shall not be less than (21) years old; 3. They shall be of good conduct; 4. They shall not have previously been sentenced to a freedom-restricting penalty for a felony or misdemeanour that violates honour or trust, unless they have been rehabilitated; and 5. They shall have the necessary financial solvency.
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Article (7) The individual licensed to manage the centre or teach herein shall fulfil the following conditions: 1. They shall not be less than (21) years old; 2. They shall be of good conduct; 3. They shall not have previously been sentenced to a freedom-restricting penalty for a felony or misdemeanour that violates honour or trust, unless they have been rehabilitated; 4. The health fitness thereof for the work to be performed thereby shall be proven; 5. Applicants to manage a centre shall have the necessary practical experience; While, the appropriate qualifications shall be available to those who wish to teach or manage; 6. They shall pass the test and personal interview; and
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 4 7. They shall obtain the approval of the competent authorities to work in case of not being sponsored by the centre in which they shall work.
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Article (8) The concerned authority shall render a decision on applications for licences and permits within sixty days from the date of submission. The concerned parties shall be duly notified of the decision. Failure to respond to a licence application within sixty days shall be construed as a rejection thereof. In the event of rejection, the applicant shall have the right to appeal the decision before the president within a period not exceeding thirty days from the date of notification or, alternatively, from the date on which sixty days have elapsed without a response. The President shall decide on the grievance within a period not exceeding sixty days from the date of submission thereof, otherwise it shall be considered rejected and decision thereof in this regard shall be final.
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Article (9) Licences granted in accordance with the provisions of this law shall last for one year, subject to renewal, and shall be exempted from fees.
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Article (10) In order to establish a centre or any branch thereof, the following conditions shall be met: 1. Obtaining a licence in accordance with Article (6) of this law. 2. The building shall fulfil the following requirements: a. Fulfilling the technical and health requirements specified by the executive regulations of this law; b. Establishing fully separated gender classrooms; c. Providing halls and arenas for practising the activities specified by the executive regulations of this law; and d. Fulfilling the necessary equipment to carry out the licensed activity, as specified by
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 5 the executive regulations of this law.
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Article (11) The centre may collaborate with similar authorities within the UAE to enhance performance and adopt best practices, in accordance with prevailing public policy.
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Article (12) Centre Budget The centre budget shall consist of the following: 1. Amounts allocated by the centre founder; 2. The financial compensation borne by those enrolled in the centre; 3. Proceeds from the endowment that may be allocated to the centre; 4. The surplus achieved from the centre previous years budget; and 5. Any other resources compatible with the centre objectives, approved in writing by the concerned authority.
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Article (13) Centres Duties and Prohibited Activities The regulations and decisions issued by the concerned authority shall determine the centre work system, duties, and prohibited activities in accordance with the provisions stipulated herein.
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Article (14) Centres Commitment to Submit the Required Documents The centres shall provide the concerned authority with all the requested documents requests through the specialised employees thereof, including: financial and administrative documents and any material that may help in organisation of the centres work. The centres shall be also obligated to submit a semi-annual report to the concerned authority on revenues and expenses for the previous period, and the concerned authority may discuss
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 6 such reports with the centres, and they may seek assistance from the competent authorities in this regard.
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Article (15) Prohibitions No centre shall be allowed to perform the following: 1. Collecting donations and charity, including Zakat; 2. Holding lectures, seminars and religious lessons without obtaining the approval of the concerned authority; 3. Exploiting the centre for purposes other than those intended therefor; 4. Practising any activity in violation of the provisions stipulated herein; or 5. Printing books and publications related to the centre activity and distributing visual, audio and print publications, unless after obtaining prior approval from the concerned authority.
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Article (16) Administrative Penalties 1. Any centre that violates the provisions of this law and the regulations issued in implementation thereof shall be subject to one of the following penalties: a. Notification. b. Warning. c. Cancellation of the licence thereof. 2. The President shall have the right to halt any licensed centre that practices a violating activity, assign whomever they deem appropriate to manage it on a temporary basis, or close any establishment that carries out an unlicensed activity subject to the provisions of this law.
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 7
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Article (17) Disciplinary Sanctions Individuals found to be in violation of the provisions outlined in this law and the regulations issued in implementation thereof, and who hold a licence to manage the centre or teach therein, shall be subject to one or more of the following disciplinary penalties: 1. Notification. 2. Warning. 3. Suspension of the Licence for a period not exceeding two months. 4. Cancellation of the Licence.
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Article (18) Imposing Penalties and Grievances The concerned authority shall be competent with imposing the penalties mentioned in Articles (16) and (17) hereof, and its decision to send a notification or warning shall be final. Shall any concerned party wish to appeal other penalties, such party may file a grievance within one month from the date of issuance before the President. The President, in turn, shall render a decision on the grievance within one month as of the date of submission, and the decision thereof regarding such matter shall be final.
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Article (19) Penalties 1. Anyone who practices one of the activities stipulated herein without obtaining a licence or permit shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than two months and a fine not exceeding fifty thousand Dirhams, or by one of these two penalties. 2. The imposition of the penalties stipulated in this Law shall be without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated in any other law.
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 8
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Article (20) Judicial Enforcement Employees who are designated by a resolution to be issued by the Minister of Justice, in agreement with President shall have the capacity of judicial control officers in establishing offences committed in violation of the provisions of this Law and the regulations issued in implementation thereof, each within their own jurisdiction.
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Article (21) General and Final Provisions The provisions of this law shall not apply to federal and public governmental centres and institutions established within the UAE.
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Article (22) A private legal entity may establish private centres for memorising the Holy Quran, subject to the conditions outlined in Article (6) herein, to the extent that is appropriate to the nature thereof.
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Article (23) The Cabinet shall issue the Executive Regulation of this Law upon a proposal from the Authority within six months as of the date of enforcement thereof.
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Article (24) Valid licences on the date of the implementation of this law shall remain effective until their specified expiration dates, and renewal thereof shall be subject to the provisions stipulated herein.
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Article (25) Reconciliation The centres shall be obligated to reconcile their conditions with the provisions of this law
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Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres 9 within a period not exceeding one year from the date of its implementation.
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Article (26) Repealing Violating Provisions Any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.
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Article (27) Publication and Entry into Force This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force three months after the date of its publication. Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates Issued by Us at the Palace of the Presidency in Abu Dhabi: Date: Jumada II 02, 1439 H. Corresponding to: February 18, 2018
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Note: The Arabic text of this legislation is the authoritative version as per the official UAE Legislation portal.
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