Introduction to

Arab World

Arabic

The Arabic language is spoken by the Arab people, of which there are more than 200 million. The Arab world consists of countries where Arabs make up the majority of the population. The Arab world can be divided into four regions: North Africa, the Greater Syria region (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan), the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq. A map of the Arab world is shown below:

The Arab world stretches some 5,000 miles— nearly twice the distance between New York and San Francisco—from the Atlantic coast of northern Africa in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to Central Africa in the south. It covers an area of 5.25 million square miles. By comparison, the United States comprises 3.6 million square miles.
   With seventy-two percent of its territory in Africa and twenty-eight percent in Asia, the Arab world straddles two continents, a position that has made it one of the world's most strategic regions. Long coastlines give it access to vital waterways: the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The following are close-ups of Arab countries as well as their flags:

Climate

The climate of the Arab world is very dry and arid. Therefore, reliable sources of water are vital; significant settlement is found only where water supplies are adequate. Thus, the overwhelming majority of Arabs live in relatively high concentrations along coastal areas and major river valleys. For example, ninety-percent of the population of Egypt lives on less than five percent of the land. However, the existence of mountain ranges allows for seasonal rainfall. The Atlas range in northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) forms a barrier between the Sahara Desert and the coastal areas.

History

In the sixth century, the Prophet Muhammad, a religious reformer, preached Islam to the people of what is now called Saudi Arabia. He converted many of the fractious tribes to Islam. From 632 to 732, the Arab tribes, united under the banner of Islam, expanded into the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. Less than one century after his death, the Muslim Arabs became the dominant social groups in most of the Middle East and North Africa. As a consequence, many of the indigenous peoples of these regions adopted the Arabic language and Arab ways of life. The Muslims showed tolerance towards the Christians and Jews, allowing them to practice their religions. Under Muslim Arab rule, the culture and arts of the Middle East and Africa flourished, especially in the tenth and eleventh centuries, which marked the height of power for the Muslim world. During this time, between 1095 and 1291, six crusades were waged by Europe against the Arab Empire, ending with the defeat of the Europeans. In 1258, as the European Renaissance was beginning, the Arab Empire began to decline and became a part of the Ottoman Empire.

By the early sixteenth century, most of the Arab world was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. By the early 20^th century, much of the Middle East and Africa that had been under the control of the Ottomans came under the control of various European powers, especially the French and the British. After WWII, most of the Arab countries attained their independence from the European powers. In the early twentieth century, Arab nationalism began to grow. Arab nationalism encompasses all who are Arab in their language, culture and loyalty.

Economy

Contrary to popular belief, relatively few Arab countries possess petroleum and natural gas resources. Their natural resources include iron-ore, lead, phosphate, cobalt and manganese.

Agriculture is the primary economic activity in the Arab world. The most important food crops are wheat, barley, rice, maize, dates and millet. These are largely consumed within the region, while cotton, sugarcane, sugar beets and sesame are exported as cash crops.
 

Religion: Islam

It was in the Middle East that the three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam—originated, in time spreading to all corners of the world. The followers of these faiths lived peacefully in the Arab world, since all considered themselves the people of one God. Under the Muslim Empire, Christians and Jews were treated with much tolerance.

Currently, there are more than 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide – about one-fifth of the world’s population. There are 44 countries with majority Muslim populations. There exist many more Muslims outside the Arab world than inside it, including the following countries: Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Bosnia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, North Africa, and America.

In the current Arab world, around 90% of Arabs are Muslims and the rest are Christian, Jew and others. Islam is the focal point of Arab society for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, permeating their culture at every level—political, social, economic, as well as private. In addition, Islam influences most of the Arab countries’ system of justice.

Toward the end of the twentieth century, new and more conservative interpretations of Islam led to the return of highly traditional and modest forms of dress and behavior for both men and women.

Other religions

Many Arabs are Christian, subscribing to the following branches of Christianity: Orthodox Christianity, Maronite (Lebanese) Church, Coptic (Egyptian) Orthodox Church, Catholicism, and Chaldean (Iraqi) Church. There are also small minorities of Arab Jews that live in some Arab countries.
Society

Traditional Arab values were modified in the 20^th century by urbanization, industrialization, detribalization, and Western influence. Thus society has also been modified.

One aspect of current society is basic social groups. Bedouins, or members of nomadic tribes, make up around 5% of the current Arab population. Most Bedouin today are animal herders who move their families, belongings, and animal stock from region to region depending upon the season. Many have become stock breeders and village agriculturalists or found employment with companies.

Most Arabs are farmers or urban dwellers. The majority of all Arabs live in small, isolated farming villages, where traditional values and occupations prevail. Village farmers venerate the pastoral nomad’s way of life.

Urban dwellers live in towns and cities. They engage in business and commerce. In the Persian peninsula, many work for the petroleum industry. Urban Arabs identify themselves more by nationality than tribe. In cities and towns, men and especially women have greater educational and employment opportunities.

A second and important aspect of society is the family. The family unit is very important in Arab society. Individual Arabs are known by their family name. In many regions, Arabs distinguish themselves on the basis of descent, tribal affiliation and social status. However, in most parts of the Arab world, tribal life has given way to political structures similar to those found in most areas of Europe and America.

A third aspect of society is marriage. Most marriages are monogamous, in which one husband is married to one wife. However, the opinion of the family matters. The opinion of the father holds a lot of ground and is very important in marriage. Once a woman marries, she maintains her own family’s last name; she does not take her husband’s last name.

Social Customs

Religion plays a very important role in all the countries of the Middle East. The predominant religion for the Arab and Middle Eastern countries is Islam. It is customary to greet people with the words “Al Salaamu ‘Alaykum” which translates to “peace be upon you.” A hand shake between men is appropriate for both formal and informal greeting while kissing on both cheeks between like sexes is more of an informal tradition usually reserved for friends or acquaintances. Interaction between opposite sexes is restricted to a head nod accompanied by the phrase “Al Salaamu ‘Alaykum.” Since a hand shake between opposite genders is acceptable in some situations depending on the circumstances, it is a good policy to adhere to the head nod technique mentioned earlier in order to avoid any unnecessary discomforts.

Addressing other people in the Arab world should be done in a formal way if no prior introduction has taken place. This is usually done by adding the word “ustaath” to a male’s first name or the word “ustaatha” to the female’s first name. In rural areas, it would be advisable to address the males with the word “Akhee” standing for “my brother” and females with the word “Ukhtee” denoting the phrase “my sister.” The use of last names solely is discouraged and could be confusing to some.

Muslims follow the doctrine of the Koran (Islam’s Holy Book), which forbids the consumption of alcohol and the flesh of scavenger animals (e.g. pork products). It is therefore a good idea to avoid inquiring about pork products in local markets since this could be taken as an insult. Smoking and tea drinking is a favorite pastime, although smoking is more prevalent among males. American coffee is less dominant in Arab society, although widely available in cafés and restaurants mostly in the form of instant coffee (referred to as Nescafé). Arabic coffee is considered the norm in the countryside and is usually served in small cups. The custom dictates shaking the cup slightly once you had enough, otherwise your cup will continuously be replenished. Arabic coffee in the rural areas denotes generosity and is a matter of tribal pride. Refusing to drink the coffee when offered could in some cases be misunderstood for unfriendliness on the part of the guest. Again, this is more the case in the rural and tribal settings of Arab countries.

In Ramadan (Islam’s holy month), it is considered rude and disrespectful to eat and drink in public during fasting hours of the day. Such activities should be performed privately or in one of the few restaurants that would possibly be open for business (usually in the major hotels). Once the fast is broken (normally following sunset), life goes back to normal and a person is free to eat and drink publicly (never alcohol though). Even moderate Muslims who normally consume alcoholic beverages would refrain from doing so during the holy month of Ramadan.

While sitting in public, it would be advisable not to show the sole of the shoes, as this is considered extremely offensive to most. Therefore, crossing your foot over the knee of the other leg or propping your feet up onto a desk would be showing disrespect toward others.

While in rural areas, it would be advisable to always eat and greet with your right hand. This is because a left hand in the less developed areas is still reserved for the “untidy” duties of life.

Photography is considered offensive unless prior permission is obtained from the parties involved. Generally, it would be advisable to refrain from photographing female subjects since this could lead to unnecessary problems.

Male-Female Relationships

In most Arab countries, marriage is the only respectable context for male-female relationships. Dating, per se, is rare, and pre-marital sex is virtually unheard of. The number of children born out of wedlock is next to nil. Boys and girls go to separate schools, though university classes are coeducational. Male and female university students do socialize together in groups, but less so in pairs, though non-married couples may be found drinking tea or coffee together at the student canteen. Most Arab countries are socially conservative; as long as visitors recognize and respect this reality, they will feel most welcome. For example, if a foreign male visitor in Damascus meets a Syrian woman in a public place, such as a bookstore or a museum, and finds her interesting, he should forget about pursuing his interest. Do not invite her for a cup of tea. Do not flirt. This would dishonor the woman and her family.

Arranging the Marriage

In Arab villages, marriage is largely an arranged affair. In Arab cities, this practice is becoming less and less common. In an arranged marriage, the mother of the young man seeks marriage candidates, preferably from among cousins, or failing that, from the daughters of close friends and neighbors whom she trusts. (If his mother is not alive, then his aunt would take this responsibility upon herself.) An Arab can marry outside of that inner circle but the family of the would-be fiancé must be known. As a rule, Muslim women do not marry non-Muslim men and both Muslims and Christians seldom marry foreign men.

Once a mother chooses a candidate, she visits the candidate’s family and meets the young lady and the young lady’s mother. The young man’s mother learns of the candidate’s good attributes and qualities and determines if the young lady would make a good wife for her son. If that is the case, the two mothers set a date for the young man and both of his parents to come calling.

 The Process of Engagement

Only the least enlightened families would force a young lady to marry against her will. If both young people agree that they want to marry, the two fathers step in and play their role. The young man’s father visits the young lady’s father to discuss all aspects of the wedding, not just the time, date, and place, but also the dowry, the coming steps of the process, the preparations for the bride, and “maraseem al-zawaaj,” the rituals of the marriage.

The engagement period extends from the moment that the young man and young lady agree to marry until the wedding day. During this engagement, the two young people visit each other’s families and get to know them better. Note that marriage is not merely the bond between two individuals but also a bond between families. For that reason, the parents are consulted at every step of the process, and the extended families from the two sides meet repeatedly and exchange hospitality and gifts. Unlike the practice in Western countries, generally speaking, there is not a lot of opportunity for the engaged couple to be alone together. Another difference is that the groom’s parents are responsible for all wedding expenses.

Differences in Marriage Tradition between Christians and Muslims
 

Engagement procedures apply to both Muslim and Christian families. Muslim or Christian, a man or a woman is known as the son or daughter of so-and-so, the father or mother of so-and-so. In other aspects, however, Christian and Muslim marriages do differ, especially if we are talking about a pious Muslim family.

The Christian Wedding

Christians marry in the church and invite friends and relatives to attend the wedding mass. After the ceremony, the wedding party gathers—men, women, and children all together—for a reception and feast.

The Muslim Wedding

Muslims, in contrast, do not necessarily marry in a mosque and neither is the marriage a large ceremony in the conventional sense. Rather, the couple obtains a marriage contract in an imam's office or at the home of the groom. In a marriage contract, an imam meets with the bride, groom and the parents and reviews the marriage contract to verify its validity. He recites certain suras (chapters) or ayat (verses) from the Qur’an and signs the documents to legalize the marriage. There is no party at this ceremony. The bride and groom return separately to their respective parents’ house, attended by their siblings, and perhaps their closest cousins and dearest friends. The parties are held the next day. Conservative Muslim families hold separate parties for the men and the women, as some of the women are veiled and should not be the focus of attention of the men.

Family Honor

Arab families value their reputation, especially their honor. Honor is maintained through various avenues, two of which are (a) hospitality and (b) protection of the women.

For example, Iraqi families during the embargo situation would go to great lengths to make visitors feel welcome and valued by offering them the best foods in large quantities and doing so with much fellowship, laughter and affection. This happened despite the fact that most of them could hardly feed themselves.

In the Arab world, many husbands, fathers and brothers attempt to safeguard the purity and untouchability of their female relatives. This is not seen as bondage or restriction but as a shield for the family’s honor.

Taboos

The Western visitor to an Arab country will want to keep the following in mind:

1. One never asks a man, “how is your wife?” Instead, one should generalize the question to “how is your family?”
2. The public is not the place for any show of affection between the two sexes, not even holding hands. However, it is completely acceptable for two men to greet each other by kissing on the cheek and walking hand-in-hand. This is by no means a reflection of a person’s sexuality.
3. Western attire is well known and widely used in most Arab countries, but some limitations exist. For example, short pants are unthinkable except for young children or athletes on the sports field. Men keep their shirts on regardless of the heat. Women are not required to cover themselves from head to toe, as is the case in Yemen or Saudi Arabia, but conservative dress prevails; mini-skirts, sleeveless blouses and low-cut sweaters are simply out of the question.
    

Hospitality

Arab hospitality is world famous, for visitors are welcomed and honored. The host family will offer the guest the very best food and drink that they can afford and will go to great lengths to assure the comfort of their guest. When offered tea, coffee, or something to eat, it is the custom to politely refuse it the first time. The host will offer a second time, and again, the guest, with the utmost delicacy, should turn it down. A third time, the host will ask, “Not even a cup of coffee?” or some such thing, and at this point, the guest should relent and gratefully accept his host’s generosity.

The Arabic expression “ahlan wa sahlan” means “hello” or “welcome” and the host will probably repeat this phrase several times during the visit, as if to remind the guest to relax in the knowledge that the host is honored to have him there. It is not necessary for the visitor to bring a gift to his host, but it is acceptable and a nice thing to do. In the case of Christian families, a good bottle of wine or ‘araq (the local variety of anisette liquor) is appropriate, but not among Muslims, for whom alcoholic beverages are forbidden.

Foods

Grains, vegetables, and fruit form the basis of most Arab food. A famous Arab dish is hummus. Hummus is considered a staple food of Arabic cuisine and is offered as an appetizer dip or with the main entry with other vegetables. The main ingredient in hummus is a puree of garbanzo beans with a mixture of taHeena (a smooth paste made from sesame seeds), lemon, garlic and other spices, the amounts of which are according to taste.

Another very popular dish in the Arab world is labana, mostly prepared as a breakfast food. It is easy to make labana. Salt is added to some low-fat yogurt, then the mixture is put into a cheese cloth and hung above the sink overnight. The next day, garlic and spices are added to the hardened salty yogurt to give it a special taste. If the mixture is kept in the cheese cloth for two to three days, it becomes drier and can be kept even longer. In this case, balls are formed from the mixture and put into a container filled with olive oil. They are kept refrigerated until they are served with fresh parsley or vegetables.

Vegetables are stuffed with meat and rice. If prepared well, Arab food is a very healthy, low-cholesterol, low-fat food that is easy to prepare. The main course is usually followed by Arabic coffee or shay (Arabic tea) and pastries.

Arab desserts are often comprised of honey-soaked pastry that is filled with nuts and other ingredients. One of the most well-known and popular Arabic pastries is baklaawa, which dates back to 8th century B.C.E. Halaawat al-Jibna is another delicious doughy pastry that is filled with cream cheese and usually covered in syrup.