There is no "one" Arab culture or society: the Arab world stretches from Morocco across Northern Africa to the Persian Gulf, and includes 22 countries and several world religions (with Islam being the most prolific). In general, the term ‘Arab' is used to describe any one who speaks the Arabic language as their mother tongue.
There are several customs that all Arabs share, based on their strong and deeply rooted values of family, friendship and honor. Understanding and respecting these can open the doors wide to long and fruitful friendships. If you're new to Arab culture and would like to understand more of what makes this fascinating culture tick, here are a few pointers to help you to acclimatize and feel more readily accepted by this warm and infinitely diverse people:
Family comes first
Family means everything to Arabs; it is the nucleus of honor, loyalty, and reputation. Males are always the head of the Arab family and the father is strongly respected. Age and wisdom are deeply honored in the Arab culture and advice is often sought from elder family members.
Meeting and greeting
In Arabic culture, close friends or colleagues hug and kiss both cheeks to say hello. When conducting business or meeting Arab acquaintances, shake the hand of all males present first with your right hand and grasp their elbow with the left. Before even attempting to engage in business with an Arab, make sure you leave plenty of time for refreshment. Respect and trust come first and Arabs believe in breaking the ice before getting down to the nitty-gritty.
If you're served a drink, don't forget to accept with the right hand only – the same goes for drinking, offering and passing food or drinks. Right hand rules here. Placing a hand on your heart and bowing slightly is a sign of respect when greeting an Arab friend, acquaintance or colleague. In Arabic culture, men stand when women enter a room.
Getting to know each other
Arabs are warm and gregarious and as such, most don't believe in the Western concept of personal space. It is considered offensive to step or lean away from an Arab friend or business acquaintance. An exception to this rule is women: It is not acceptable to stand overtly close to an Arab woman, stare at her, or touch her. Engaging a woman in conversation unless you have been formally introduced is another no-no.
Arab friends of the same sex often hold hands and hug each other. As Arab society permits and encourages affection between male friends, it's quite common to see Arab men walking hand in hand. A full body embrace, accompanied with hugging, should not be initiated until you are sure that an Arab is a close friend. If your Arab friend initiates it, participate and smile: you can now consider yourself honored or accepted.
Honor and shame
Honor is extremely important in Arab culture and shame is about the worse thing that can happen, so it's important to respect your Arab friends and colleagues. Arabs are straight speaking and decisive people – saying "I don't know" to an Arab is generally considered impolite. Criticism can sometimes be taken as an insult. It's a good idea to be as thoughtful as possible and take care not to insult your Arab friends or business associates, even when joking.
Hygiene
Personal hygiene is extremely important to Arabs for spiritual and practical reasons. Arab Muslims always wash their hands, and forearms before daily prayers or fasting. Meals are often eaten by hand in Arab homes, so it is typical to wash your hands before and after eating, even if you're just visiting.
Time
The Arabic approach to time is way more relaxed than in Western cultures, so don't be offended if your Arabic friend or colleague arrives late to a meeting. It's not a good idea to look at a watch or clock during a meeting. Doing this suggests to your host or guest, that you consider them unworthy of your time.
No comments:
Post a Comment