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Popular Local Customs | Miscellaneous Local Customs Tips | All Tips (77)  | |  |  | A Meal with Muslims - eating manners | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
If you should be invited to a traditional Arabic meal together with Muslim hosts, there's a few simple cultural & religious guildelines to follow: 1) If you are seated on the floor, make sure that the soles of your feet (with or without shoes/socks) do not point towards anyone. Either sit with your legs crossed, or one leg propped-up & one tucked under, or both on your side, etc. It is considered extremely rude to point the soles of your feet towards anyone in the Muslim religion & Arabic culture. I can imagine that this probably stems from the Bedouin days, when after a hard day's work or travelling the feet would be covered in dirt. 2) If cutlery is not provided, you eat with your hands; your right hand, to be precise! Now, I know that this can be tricky for "unskilled" Westerners - basically, the "least messy" way is to take small pieces of Arabic bread & to wrap your rice, meat, fish, etc. into small parcles. The left hand is used by a person to clean up filth, wash himself after the bathroom, etc. The right hand is used for clean practices like eating, grooming & shaking hands. Understandably, if you reach for food with your left hand, your Arab hosts/companions may feel extremely repulsed & offended! It is not permissible to eat with the left hand (even if you are left-handed, you'll just have to try your best!). Prophet Mohammed (PBUH = Peace be upon Him) said: "If one of you eats, he should eat with his right hand. And if he drinks, he should drink with his right hand. For indeed, Satan eats & drinks with his left hand." No one should give preference to his left hand unless that person has lost the use of his right hand or suffers from some genuine affliction. 3) You will also notice that most Muslims quietly say "Bismillah" (the name of God) to themselves. In this way, they ask Allah to bless the food they are about to eat. Bon appetit! And enjoy your meal! Leave a Comment Website: http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00002189.aspx
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| | | | Behaviour towards Arabic women | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Here are a few pointers on the mentality & religious aspects of dealing with Arabic women (and men): > Women can shake an Arabic woman's hand, but men should not attempt this. The lady may offer to shake hands, do so, but leave the decision up to her as many Muslim ladies do not want to be touched by other men in even the most harmless manner. Vice-versa, some Arabic men will refuse shaking hands with a Western woman. Do not feel offended by this. > Do not take pictures of Arabic ladies. They can get quite upset about this (this one applies especially to you ladies: if you are in the washrooms, at a ladies-beach or beauty salon where they uncover themselves - they don't want pictures of themselves shown to other men) > Beware of the mighty Abaya! The Abaya is the black dress the ladies wear. The head scarf is called Shehla. Some ladies also wear a face-mask, called a Burka. Many ladies (especially the older generation) think the abaya gives them special rights & will quite happily step onto the road, trusting that traffic will stop for her! Also, some local ladies will try to push ahead in a queue. > Men, please note that institutions such as banks, exchange houses, etc. often have Ladies Sections, where women can sit seperately & have their own queue. Do not sit or stand there, or you will be asked to move by a security guard. If there is no ladies queue, you will notice that the counter clerks will usually call the woman forward to be served first, and men should let her pass. (one of the few reasons I like this country; going to the bank only takes me 5 min!) > When meeting an Arabic man, men should not ask: "how is your wife?". This may be perceived as intrusive. Rather ask "how is your family?". Women may ask about the wife with no problems. In general, you will notice that Muslim society is cleary gender-seperated. Book about cross-cultural considerations in the Gulf is "Don't they know it's Friday?" by Jeremy Williams. Leave a Comment Phone: Tourist Police: 8004438
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| | | | The UAE's most famous fish species... delicious! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
When you order fish in the UAE's restaurants, you'll notice that even the fish 'n' chips are commonly made with "Hammour"... Hammour is the most prominent, well-known & versatile fish in the Arabian Gulf waters. Hammour is the Arabic word for Grouper: This fish is heavily spotted & reddish-brown over olive-brown with bars & blotches of deeper ochre. It has large powerful jaws and a long dorsal fin with 10 spinous rays. It is found around reefs, wrecks and offshore structures where it feeds on other fish, cuttlefish and crustaceans. It can live to 22 years and can grow to about 170 cm / 70 inches long. It's a delicious fish, with a taste that is not too strong, but just strong enough to not be completely overpowered by accompanying sauces or a batter. I generally like hammour, but mostly I prefer "stronger-tasting" fish like Barracuda, Swordfish or a nice Red Snapper... The fish is readily available at the local fish markets in the UAE including supermarkets and the fish & vegetable market near the Gold Souk. Visiting the market to buy fresh seafood and fish is an integral part of local culture for both Local Arabs and expatriates; and it shouldn't be missed by tourists, either! (when you see it lying on the ice at the markets, you'll notice that it's quite a malicious-looking bugger! hahaha!) For a list of various Arabic dishes, click here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/1411c2 TIP: If you don't want to wander around the Fish Market (especially in summer!) visit one of the Carrefour Hypermarkets: their fresh fish selection is superb! Leave a Comment
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| | | | "Wudoo" in Islam - it's not black magic! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
When you're in Dubai, you'll see signs for the ladies/men's room, ladies/men's prayer rooms, and also for "Abulution Rooms". In case you've wondered what this is all about, here's some info I've learnt from my mother (she converted to Islam a few years ago). The religion does not permit praying in the toilets (i.e. in a shopping mall, etc.), as this would not be "clean", so there are always separate prayer rooms for men & women, as you can't well go home or may not have the time for the mosque for all 5 prayers. Wudoo is the Muslim ritual washing before each of the 5 daily prayers. (In the Arabic Language: Wudoo is the action, and Wadoo the water used therefore) They first start by saying Bismillah ("In the Name of Allah") (you may know this word from the Queen song, Bohemian Rhapsody: "Bismillah, he will not let me go, let me go!") Each of the mentioned body parts is washed 3 times: Performing the Wudoo in the Order Mentioned I came to the Prophet (PbuH) with water for wudoo, so he washed his hands three times, then washed his face 3 times, then washed his forearms 3 times, then washed his mouth and nose 3 times, then wiped his head & ears - their outsides and insides - and washed each of his feet 3 times. The Wudoo is broken if the person uses the toilet or has sex. Types of Abulution: 1. Partial Ablution or Wudoo - Consists of cleaning parts of body that are exposed to dirt or elements of nature. 2. Complete Ablution - Consists of performing complete Bath followed by Wudoo. It is required after intimate intercourse or menstruation period for women. 3. Tayammum (Dry Ablution) - Tayammum, in certain circumstances can be a substitute. It is done by touching on clean earth, sand or stone and then wiping the face and then both hands to the wrists, when water is not available or is not practical to make use of water. (understandable, living in the middle of a desert!) Leave a Comment
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| | | | When nature calls in Arabia... | Tip Rating: | | | | |
When nature calls and you visit the little girls' or little boys' room, you will notice a miniature shower-device hanging on the wall next to the toilet bowl. This is very common in many Arabic/Muslim countries. It's known as a "Sharddaf", or in plain English: a bum-washer ;-) It's a more flexible version of a bidee and is used to wash after relieving yourself. Muslims generally prefer to wash rather than using toilet paper, and I believe it also has something to do with the requirement of performing "Wudoo" (ritual washing/abulution) before prayer time. Unfortunately, many people use this small device far too liberally, with little or no sense of aim or direction resulting in partial flooding of many toilet stalls. It's quite disgusting to say the least, having to roll-up your trousers before entering the cubicle... so be aware and don't fall. Oh, and another piece of advice: if you decide to use the sharddaf, make sure you are holding the nozzle the right way around... I've seen many unknowing tourists coming out of the toilets with very wet clothes! --> NOTE: In the past, most Arabs and also Asians were used to squatting over a "traditional" toilet. You can still find these toilets in some of the older shopping malls and even in Dubai airport (!). They are nothing more than a tiled hole in the ground, with the aforementioned sharddaf for washing. But don't panic: there are never more than 1 or 2 cubicles with these "holes" and all other cubicles consist of the comfortable, modern, shiny and white porcelain thrones ;-) Leave a Comment
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| | | | "Smoke IN the water..." - Sheesha | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Sheesha (also known as "Hookah" or "Hubbly-bubbly"): The traditional oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water. Sheesha is tobacco mixed with molasses and various of fruit flavours. Some of the most popular flavours are Apple, Double-Apple, Strawberry, Banana, Grape, etc. My favourite is Mint (the smoke stays nice & cool.) On top of the sticky & compacted tobacco mixture, a sheet of aluminium foil is placed. Then a few holes are punched through the foil & the glowing hot coals are placed on top. When your sheesha "runs out" while you're smoking, you usually get a kind of scratchy, fruity coughing reflex in the back of your throat. Whenever you smoke for more than about half an hour, you will usually have to add some fresh coal to keep your smoke thick & flavourful. If you're just not getting much white smoke, your coals probably aren't hot enough. There are numerous sheesha cafes (small street cafes & in 5* hotels) where people gather to smoke & drink coffee or tea. Smoking sheesha can last 2 hours or more and is a very social occasion. The price of a sheesha varies according to the flavour & the prices are different in every cafe/restaurant. (the cheapest being Dhs 20.-) You can buy your own sheesha in most shopping malls, with prices & quality ranging from cheap & cheerful to expensive, hand-decorated crystal glass & gold finish! There's also a great selection of shishas in the Karama shopping strip, where they are sold with their very own padded carrying case! Tobacco can be bought in these shops, and also in many supermarkets. I have 2 sheeshas at home, and love sitting in the garden with some friends. (the smoke also keeps the mosquitoes away!) Some of my favourite Sheesha haunts? > Kan Zaman by the Heritage Village. > Elements at Wafi City Mall. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Understanding Islam | Tip Rating: | | | | |
In recent years, Islam has received a bad reputation throughout the Western world... first the world was afraid of the Communists, then the Nazis, then the Russians and now it's the Muslim's turn. After having lived in the UAE for 8 years now (and after my mother having converted to Islam approx. 5 years ago: not through marriage, but by free will) I have learned one thing: There is a HUGE difference between ISLAM and MUSLIMS: The teachings of Islam are no better or no worse than the teachings of the bible; basically you are told to be a good person and do no harm. But many people who call themselves Muslims have far distanced themselves from the original teachings: They have either 'taken it to the next level' and have become extreme in their religious & political views, or they have become complete and utter hypocrites- drinking alcohol, visiting prostitutes, not fasting during Ramadhan, etc. Dubai is filled with the latter, as any visitor will quickly notice (ladies, just have a look in the public toilets what the Arabic girls are wearing UNDER their black "Abayas"... mini-skirts and the likes) But surely, this is the case with many religions. How many people do you know that attend church on Sundays, and then on Monday cheat someone in business, cheat on their wife, etc.? I believe we only find the hypocrites in Islam 'worse' because we do not understand how strict" or "easy-going" Islam really is. So my tip: Educate yourself about Islam and Muslims in the modern world. In Dubai, even non-Muslims are allowed to tour the Jumeirah Mosque (normally non-Muslims are never allowed to enter a mosque) Contact the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding for more info, and open your eyes to what our perception and prejudices of Islam are (because of many 'bad' Muslims) and what the teachings really are about. Leave a Comment Phone: 00971-4-3536666Website: http://dwc.hct.ac.ae/expatinfo/sheikhmohammedcentre.htm
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| | | | Arabic Wedding... if you're invited, don't miss it | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Arabic weddings are traditionally very different from the way they are celebrated in the Western world, although many new "customs" have sneaked their way into even the most traditional of ceremonies: cakes, white dresses, wedding rings, etc. can nowadays also be found under the black veils of their society. The wedding has 2 seperate parties: 1 for the men and 1 for the women. Muslim life is strongly gender-seperated, and even the union of man & woman makes no exception. So if you ever have the chance to be invited to an Arabic wedding, take it! It's a wonderful & very "exotic" experience, rather different to Western ideals & ceremonies. TIP: You can tell which families are gearing-up for a wedding within the family, as the houses are decorated with chains and chains of bright lightbulbs (visible behind the little girl in my picture). In my picture, you can see men & women sitting together only because they are part of the same family and we were celebrating during a lunch prior to the actual wedding itself. The women were singing and playing the tamborines, while the young men played the "Tabla" drums... My mother & I were once fortunate enough to be invited to an Arabic wedding at a friend's place. We sat on the floor, played with the children, played the drums and listened to the women sing traditional songs of joy for the bride & groom. TIP: How to eat a meal with Muslims Leave a Comment
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| | | | Newspaper in the UAE (censored, but interesting) | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Gulf News is the UAE's leading English newspaper, with a daily circulation of 91,000 copies. Founded in 1978 as tabloid format newspaper and was re-launched as a broadsheet in 1985 under the present management, and has grown steadily ever since. You can pick up a copy at any supermarket, petrol station or grocery store for Dhs 2.- The newspaper will surely also be available in your hotel. Their online edition was launched on the 1st September 1996. It allows them to broadcast regional news internationally, receiving more than 300,000 hits daily. There's a daily tabloid section with schedules of special dining offers, new store openings & interviews on hot-topics in the UAE. On Wednesdays, the newspaper includes the "Entertainment Weekly", with all television & cinema programs. And on Fridays, there's the "Friday Magazine", with info on restaurants, night clubs, recipes, travel, etc. Even under the UAE's strict media censorship, the Gulf News tends to do a good job (as good as they're allowed) of covering local & international happenings. I've seen a big improvement in the past years & we all hope that one day the UAE will realise that "hiding" their problems from residents & visitors alike will not help them in the future... Another good website in tabloid format, which may remind you a bit of "The Sun" in the UK, or the "Bild Zeitung" in Germany is the 7 Days newspaper. A lot of the news are quite ridiculous & exagerrated, but many residents (including myself) nonetheless find that this is a publication that is always on the borderline of being shut-down by UAE censors... it publishes the stories other papers are afraid of... it's refreshing! Check it out: http://www.7Days.ae/ Leave a Comment Website: http://www.gulfnews.com/
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on May 7, 2007
Dubai
