The Basic Statute of the State is Oman's constitution: the structure of the Sultanate, succession to the throne, the system of government, the rights and duties of citizens, and the place of Islamic law in legislation. Oman received its first written constitution under Sultan Qaboos in 1996; a new Basic Statute issued in 2021 under Sultan Haitham restated the framework, most notably codifying a clear succession mechanism.
The constitutional text is the starting point for any serious work on Omani law — from the validity of legislation to the powers of the Sultan and the councils — and is read by lawyers, diplomats and scholars alike.
