Arab Tradition & Culture that need to be explored
Do you love Arabic culture or language? I just love the Arabic language, I don't know about you people but I am sure you will also get attached to the Arab World after reading this and surely plan for a visit. But before you visit Arab countries you should know about certain Arab traditions & cultures that will make your visit more enjoyable and exciting.
Arab culture and history are very diverse in nature, as it consists of 22 countries. Arabic countries range from Morocco to North Africa, and from there to the Persian Gulf. This region is also called the MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region. We list the names of Arabic countries in this region as follows: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The first and foremost fact about the Arabic culture is that the rich Arabic world consists of different communities, groups, and cultures, and therefore, one can never talk about a single Arabic culture. Although most of the region shares the same religion, Arab culture varies from one place to the other.
The Arabian Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a large geographical region with a mix of tradition, food, and nature. Visiting each part will give you a completely different experience.
Arabs Definitions
The values of Arab culture are unique and often mysterious to Westerners. Even the word 'Arab' can be unclear because people presume Arabs are a single race. "Arab" is a cultural and linguistic term. It refers to those who speak Arabic as their first language. Arabs are united by culture and by history. Arabs are not a race. Some have blue eyes and red hair; others are dark-skinned; many are somewhere in between.
Arab culture, one of the ancient civilizations in the world today has a lot to be recognized and celebrated for, but many of these great gifts have become lost and part of a forgotten cultural heritage.
Arabic language and its influences
Arabic is a living language, spoken and written by more than 400 million people, in countries stretching from the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula to North Africa and across Asia. Arabic is considered a sacred language for more than a billion Muslims, and a language that has contributed massively to our society.
A surprise about the Arabic language is how much it has influenced the English language. Likely, words starting with the letters 'AL' such as algebra, alcohol, alkaline, all have Arabic origins. Also, there are many more words that fall outside of this 'AL' structure that can be recognized as being descended from Arab countries, such as loofah, amber, tariff, arsenal, coffee, sofa, etc.
Arabic Religions
When talking about countries in the Arab world, most people think that there is only one religion i.e. Islam, the rise of Islam throughout Arab countries has made it the main religion. Arabian culture has mostly been influenced by Islam. Although Arabs are religiously diverse, and it is important to note that there are Christian Arabs, Jewish Arabs, and Arabs who have other faiths also.
The great religion in Arab countries is, of course, Islam. But Islam is also divided into different subgroups like Sunnis, Shiites, Druze, and Aleurites as well as Sufis.
The group that is mostly forgotten when talking about religions in Arab countries is that of Christians. There are several groups of Christians in Arab countries such as Catholics & Protestants, Copts, Yazidis.
Today there are few or no Jews left in many Arab countries, most having emigrated to Israel.
Family and Society in Arabic Culture
Besides their faith, the family is the second most important element to Arabs. Family forms the basis of most people's social circles and also provides financial and emotional support.
Families typically have structured, and traditional gender roles, where the men are responsible for making the income for the family and the women are responsible for bearing the children and taking care of the home. Children are considered as "jewels".
Despite how old you may be, you must always honor your parents. This respect for one's elders is unwavering and is exercised formally and actively.
Arabic Cuisine
Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice, and meat, with little variety, with a heavy emphasis on yogurt products, such as Leben. Arabian cuisine today is the result of a combination of richly diverse cuisines, spanning the Arab world and incorporating Levantine, Egyptian, and others. It has also been influenced by the cuisines of India, Turkey, Berber, and others.
Tea is a very important drink in the Arab world, it is usually served with breakfast after lunch and with dinner. For Arabs, tea is a hospitality drink that is served to guests. It is also common for Arabs to drink tea with dates.
Arab Clothing
Thobe In the Arabian Peninsula men usually wears their national dress that is called "thobe". " Thobes" differ slightly from state to state within the Gulf, but the basic ones are white. This is the traditional attire that Arabs wear on formal occasions.
Women are only required to wear abayas also known as jilbab or chador, traditional Arab dress features the full-length body cover with veil i.e. hijab.
