The end of September this year marks 10 years since Qanoon went live. What began as a simple idea—to make Oman’s legislation and legal information easily accessible, has since grown into something far more impactful, shaping how individuals, businesses, and institutions engage with the Omani legal framework at home and abroad.
Why Access Matters
A decade ago, Omani legislation was generally only accessible in print. You could find some royal decrees and ministerial decisions online, but those were limited to some of the more recent ones (at the time). Legislation with amendments incorporated was, of course, non-existent. I remember being shocked about this when I first started my career, and equally impressed with my seniors’ ability to remember which laws were amended and by which royal decrees exactly!
I did not (and still do not) have the memory skills or the mental capacity to memorise all of this legal information, so I decided to join forces with Dr Riyadh Al Balushi and build Qanoon so that we can change all of this.
And change did, in fact, happen. By digitising all of the Omani legislation and legal materials, integrating amendments, and making this plethora of information easily searchable, Qanoon definitively transformed the legal landscape in Oman. Today, whether you’re a legal professional, an academic, or a citizen that would like to know their legal rights and obligations, it’s possible to locate and understand the law without needing to dig through multiple legislative volumes and reconcile conflicting legal information.
Accessibility and Inclusion
Perhaps one of the less recognised but equally important aspects of Qanoon is accessibility. For many years, people with visual impairments had no practical way to navigate Oman’s legislation. By moving from PDF to text, which is fully searchable and screen-reader friendly, Qanoon has opened the door to users who were previously excluded from this essential public resource.
Reliability and Continuity
From the very beginning, we committed to consistency. For the last 10 years, we have for every single week uploaded the Official Gazette on time, separated its contents into dedicated pages for each and every royal decree and ministerial decision, and converted all of this PDF content into text format within record time. This rhythm has built trust—users now know that Qanoon reflects the latest legal information, week after week, without interruption.
Search and Usability
Qanoon’s search function has developed over time to become one of Qanoon’s most valued features. Instead of sifting through volumes of legal information or hundreds of PDFs in poorly-organised PC folders, users can now use Qanoon’s powerful search engine to quickly locate legislation and legal information, as well as the content within such legislation and legal information, in a blink of an eye.
In parallel, Qanoon’s sister site—Decree.om has grown over the last few years to become the most comprehensive database of English translations of the Omani legal corpus to ever exist. To enable our Qanoon users to easily access this valuable resource easily, we introduced the “EN” buttons for every royal decree and ministerial decision on Qanoon, and similarly introduced “Arabic” buttons on Decree, thereby allowing our users to toggle between the Arabic and English texts with ease.
Broader Impact
The availability of reliable, up-to-date legislation has consequences extending far beyond helping Omani lawyers and citizens find the laws they need. Indeed, transparency in the legal system is a public good—it benefits practitioners, reassures international organisations, and signals to foreign investors that the rule of law is both readily accessible and taken seriously. UNCTAD, WIPO, ILO, and the World Bank are among the many international organisations that regularly cite Qanoon, underscoring its credibility as a trusted source for Omani legislation.
For investors, access to up-to-date legal information is also equally important. It reduces the friction of doing business in Oman by cutting time, cost, and uncertainty, which are precisely the dimensions measured by the World Bank’s Business Ready (B-Ready) framework. Perhaps this may explain why Oman’s standing under B-Ready shows measurable improvement compared to where it once stood under the older World Bank “Doing Business” framework.
Looking Back, Marching Ahead
Qanoon has always been free. We do not charge for access and we do not monetise the platform. The costs for us, both monetary and time-wise, are significant. This was a deliberate choice—legislation should be available to everyone without barriers, and access to legal information should not be a privilege tied to one’s financial means.
Our philosophy extends beyond Oman. Qanoon is now available for Saudi Arabia and its database is growing day by day, which is also accessible for free.
The Road Ahead
A decade in, Qanoon has become more than a website—it is a fundamental infrastructure for legal access. It has changed how people read and use legislation in Oman, and it continues to support legal professionals, researchers, businesses, and policymakers both within and outside the borders of the Sultanate. We are proud to contribute to this cause and are committed to the work that lies ahead.
Finally, as Qanoon turns 10, we wanted to thank our community of users, colleagues, and supporters who have made this journey possible. Your engagement and encouragement has been central to keeping Qanoon active, accurate, and relevant.
