Dhahran Local Customs

When a Saudi women appears in public, she normally wears a black abayah and a scarf covering her hair. You will also see some Saudi women wearing face veils. There are varying opinions regarding the wearing of the abayah and the veil; however, Saudi women cover themselves in public and in the presence of men who are not close relatives. Although most abayah's are black in color they are sometimes trimmed with beautiful beads, embroidery, and designs. They come in a variety of different fabrics as well.

Traditional clothing for Saudi men and boys is a thobe. When the weather is warm or hot white thobes are worn by Saudi men and boys. When it is cooler out they sometimes where wool thobes in darker colors. At special times, men often wear a bisht or mishlah over the thobe. These are long white, brown or black cloaks trimmed in gold.
The head piece a man wears is in three pieces, the tagia which is a small white cap that keeps the gutra from slipping off the head; the gutra itself, which is a large square of cloth; and the igal, a doubled black cord that holds the gutra in place. The gutra is usually made of cotton and traditionally Saudis wear either a white one or a red and white checked one. The gutra is worn folded into a triangle and centered on the head.

The Ninth month of the Muslim Calendar is Ramadan. This is when it is believed the Holy Quran was sent down from Heaven. Muslims fast during the entire month of Ramadan. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. During Ramadan, they concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their every day life. On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking).