My Beautiful Abaya

All females entering the conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are required to adorn the abaya. The abaya is basically a long cloak like or robe like garment that is adorned over normal clothing. The abaya is normally a loose fitting garment with its primary purpose being the concealment of the female anatomy.The Islamic faith emphasizes that women should dress modestly whilst venturing outside their homes. Recently though, whilst shopping at the malls, I have noticed women wearing body fit, figure hugging abayas especially among younger Saudi women.I often get asked by friends and family residing abroad if there are any areas within the Kingdom where women are exempt from wearing the abaya. Is there such a thing as an abaya free zone?

Of course there is.Expat women like myself  are not required to adorn the abaya within the compound as well as within the hospital environment.Kingdom mall Riyadh has a women-only floor. Women are at liberty to remove their abayas and do their shopping in normal clothing.There are also girls only colleges and schools along with women only private beach resorts. Of course, women also remove their abayas at private wedding ceremonies that usually adheres to strict laws of segregation between males and females.For most Saudi women their abaya free zone is usually in the comfort of their own homes whilst being in the absence of unrelated men.In many of the rural areas away from the city I have also noticed many Bedouin women without the abaya. The Riyadh equestrian club is also an abaya free zone. Many families rent out Istarahas during the weekend to enjoy private family gatherings where the women of the house are free to wear any kind of clothing they desire. An istaraha is like a small private farm holding or property that is equipped with a house, a Bedouin style tent and swimming pool. Some of the bigger Istarahas that I have frequented even have a tennis court and small miniature soccer field. It is interesting to note that the abaya is very much a new form of dress code for Saudi women. In the past most Saudi women were attired in Kaftan or Jalabiyya type garments. There was even a time when Westerners frequenting the country were not required to adorn the abaya but were only required to dress modestly. However, as religious conservatism returned coupled with western opposition, all women irrespective of religion, faith or culture were required by law to wear the abaya.

Now an increasing number of women not only wear the abaya and headscarf, but the niqab (face veil) too, with only their eyes showing. I have also come across many Saudi women who simply throw their head scarves over their faces, some completing the look with black gloves and stockings. Not an inch of skin showing. It kind of makes me wonder how do their husbands find them in a crowd especially in a shopping mall. Speaking of shopping malls, a friend of mine once spent almost an hour hunting me down in Riyadh gallery, trying to figure out which shrouded woman was his friend. Yes, I am one of those women who adorn the abaya with the full face veil when embarking on a trip outside the hospital premises.

It is worth mentioning that not all women visiting Makkah and Medina wear the black abaya. This is because so many Muslim women from all over the world congregate there throughout the year for Umrah (a mini pilgrimage that can be performed any time of the year). They're all dressed modestly, of course, but often in brightly coloured cloaks, abayas, dresses, wraps, etc. A beautiful sight indeed. (Non-Muslims are not allowed in Mecca or Medina, the sites of the two Holy Mosques.). The first  time I visited the city of Makkah almost a decade ago, I recall wearing abayas that were navy blue, deep purple and dark green in colour. Most Indian and Pakistani women prefer wearing the Salwar Kameez type outfits with a matching head scarf. Turkish women usually wear a long thick coat accompanied with "strange" looking Aladdin type trousers.The Sudanese, Nigerian and Ethiopian Muslim women also have their own cultural dress code which is usually a few meters of fabric with traditional prints wrapped around them in a signature style. Recently though according to a news report the Saudi government has sent a memorandum to the Pakistani government insisting that all women arriving in the country must be attired in the black abaya and not their traditional clothing.Passengers failing to comply will not be allowed on the plane.

Saudi woman writer Abeer Mishkhas  wrote in a column for  Arab news wherein she lambasted authorities for their double standards. She says that," when Saudi women perform Umrah or Haj, they have to wear a black abaya and veil, and are constantly followed by men who tell them to cover their face and close their abayas. But when foreign women perform the pilgrimage – wearing white garments – nobody comes near them.This has resulted in a lot of Saudi women wearing white long garments and veils while performing their religious duties, just to be left alone." One thing that does concern me is the fact that Saudi women cover their faces whilst in a state of Ihram (sacred state). When performing Hajj or Umra men would wear a white piece of cloth around them and that would constitute their ihram. A woman can wear any garment like an abaya but according to many religious scholars around the world the face should be open, not covered. The Saudi authorities see otherwise.

The famed religious police also known as the mutawwa are dead against women adorning beautifully decorated abayas. In their eyes, the purpose of an abaya is to conceal the shape of a woman's body. Hence the abaya should be plain black and loose fitting without any beading or embellishments. In their opinion a woman who adorns a heavily beaded abaya with a fancy design and a mixture of fabrics will only cause her to become a source of attraction by men and hence defeats the objective of wearing an abaya. Almost every week there are religious police(the mutawwa) raiding the abaya shops in Diera Souq down town. Twice I was stopped by the religious police at the souq. The man who stopped me was of course a religious man, tall, fair and bearded wearing a white thobe and a long flowing gold rimmed black robe over(Mishlah or Bisht).He was accompanied by two police officers. He was under the impression that I was a Saudi woman and asked me why isn't my face covered.He kept on shouting "Gata wajhak"..which means cover your face.After arguing with him that I'm not Saudi and after producing my Iqama and other documentation he let me go. According to BBC news reports, in March 2002, a fire broke out in the Thirty-first Girls' Middle School, in Mecca. With the only exit locked; fifteen girls were trampled to death and more than fifty injured when firefighters and others rushed to put out the blaze, but were turned away by the Mutawwa (religious police) who warned "it is sinful to approach them" because they were not wearing abayas.

Each year the Mutawwa or the religious police vow to clamp down on fancy abayas. However, each time I visit the souq I am fascinated to discover more and more beautiful abayas.I prefer purchasing my own abayas in Medina tul Munawwara or at certain boutiques in Riyadh. Most of my abayas are custom made at the tailor. He usually shows me a catalogue where I can choose a style and then of course I can improvise by choosing the colour beading or embroidery I require.

The following excerpts are taken from an article I read recently written by Laura of Arabia. I thought I'd share it with all of you.

"Abayas come in a variety of styles; zip ups, buttons, umbrella cuts, broad sleeves, all in one jilbaabs, slim-fitting with finger loops, beaded sleeves,lace and crochet sleeves as well as floral print sleeves.While some really look like nothing more than over-sized graduation gowns, others are perfectly beautiful and are worn with pride.
Some gossip from my trustworthy char. She moonlights at a hotel that's often used by the rich and royalty for parties and weddings, and she is in charge of abaya safekeeping. She says the princesses and bejewelled rich waltz in with dozens of servants in toe, handing over their stupendously expensive abayas that are often made of pure silk and embroidered with real diamonds and colourful precious and semi-precious stones. These could easily cost a couple of thousand, up to 20 000 Saudi Riyals.
The clothes they wear under the abayas are even more expensive, and same goes at regular, segregated wedding parties or women-only get-togethers in the Kingdom. Exquisite designer garb, beautician-perfected manicures and makeup, beautiful tresses and imported accessories are all on display as the classically beautiful Saudi women compete for the most oohs and aahs of admiration.
Sometimes I do an abaya study while shopping, trying to guess a completely covered woman's social stature by looking at the quality of her abaya, her shoes and her handbag. Some give it away more openly, like the daring and trendy young girls who step out of their cars all decently covered, only to shake the Chanel hijab from their highlighted hair and partially open the front of the abaya to reveal designer jeans frayed at the edges, impossibly high Gucci stilettos, expensive gold jewellery and (always) a jewel-studded watch."

"Two years ago a study was released in Saudi that warned that 20% of pedestrians knocked over at night are women in black abayas. Sad, but quite logical.
Then there was the story in the local press of a girl's abaya getting caught in the closing bus door. The driver couldn't see her  and she was dragged to her death when the bus took off. Maddening.
Walking up stairs is tricky, and taking an escalator downright dangerous if you're not watching your step and keeping your abaya's hem from under your feet. On the upside, a friend of mine tripped over her abaya while entering a lift, falling right into the arms of a man she's now dating (secretly).
An abaya can also hide a multitude of sins, such as a lack of the latest fashions or a couple of extra pounds around the waist or derriere. Nothing could be simpler than throwing your abaya over whatever you've got on, and hopping down to the shop when your driver arrives. I've even been shopping in my pyjamas – why not? And how hot is it in there? Depending on what your abaya is made of, it could either be an oven or slightly cooler than normal. A tight-fitting polyester abaya is obviously going to make you feel hotter than a flowing, all-cotton one."

It is noteworthy to make mention that the abaya is surprisingly abused by men.There are scores of reports of men carrying out their deviant behaviour by wearing the abaya and niqaab. This reminds me of the famed Burka thieves who robbed a jewellery store in the upmarket Sandton city shopping centre in South Africa and walked away with thousands of rand worth of jewellery items. There have also been numerous reports from the compound security who mentioned that many men have tried entering the single female only compounds to visit their girlfriends whilst attired in an abaya and full face veil. Some of these men have been given the marching orders for failing to comply with the hospital code of conduct. On the flip side of things, police officers across the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, are donning wigs and wearing women's clothing to catch criminals targeting females on the city's streets.The specially formed teams across Dhaka, nicknamed "burka squads" after the Muslim female garment, are helping to catch muggers, bag snatchers and pickpockets, which are on the increase in the city.Some male officers wear full burkas, while others opt for wigs to disguise themselves as women at busy intersections and crowded places where most of the crimes occur.

Whilst travelling through the various towns and cities of the Kingdom, I have noticed many cloaked and veiled Saudi women engaging in various activities like jet and water skiing, picnicking, bumping car racing, swimming, horse riding and even enjoying the rides at the amusement park. Many a times whilst visiting the beach in South Africa, I would come across an abaya clad Muslim woman playing  in the water or building sandcastles with her children.Of course, this may seem strange to unaccustomed western eyes, but  this is definitely a normal everyday scenario for Saudi women as well as religious South African Muslim women.

Like Nada al Fayez, at 26 a successful Saudi newspaper columnist and human rights activist who says she doesn't mind wearing an abaya as it meets the Islamic decree that women dress modestly in public. "I must wear it. This is my religion and my roots. For another Arab woman it might be easy to take off the abaya but I am a Saudi. It's like I'm carrying history in my heart." Similarly, women across the Gulf region, from the United Arab Emirates to Qatar, wear the abaya out of choice. The Dubai and Qatari abayas are a bit different compared to the Saudi abayas in terms of style..Dubai abayas are generally more bold and heavily embellished with swarovski crystals, beading and embroidery. Dubai abaya designers also utilize a variety of floral fabrics in combination with plain black fabric to create unique and elegant abaya collections. They are also not afraid to experiment with different types of fabric in terms of texture and print. I guess this is due to the fact that Dubai is more of an open society in comparison to the ultra conservative Kingdom.

The one issue that kind of baffles me though, is that despite the fact that the majority of Saudi women are all covered up in their own country, virtually all of them discard their niqaab, hijaab and abaya when they travel abroad on vacations.You would find many of them in different parts of the world wearing bikinis and other skin revealing western clothing.I guess the whole issue of the abaya and the niqaab for a Saudi is more of a traditional,custom based issue rather than satisfying a religious obligation. It makes one wonder whether they really believe in its purpose from a religious point of view. But trying to find an answer will only tire you as I have come to realize that the Kingdom is filled with laws of hypocrisy and double standards.

Source:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1874471.stm

http://lauraofarabia1000.blogspot.com/

http://www.women24.com/HomeAndAway/Travel/My-Beautiful-Abaya-II-20050630

Madain Saleh - Christmas Weekend December 2008

When you ask a South African about Saudi Arabia especially a South African of Isamic faith, the first thought that comes to mind is the two holy cities of the Islamic world, namely Makkah and Medina. Most westerners perceive Saudi Arabia quite differently. I had a nurse from New Zealand who told me that prior to her coming to the Kingdom she was under the impression that Saudi Arabia was a place where nomadic people lived and used camels to carry out their daily chores and activities. As she spoke to me with bouts of laughter in between she admitted that she was quite amazed at the magnitude of the different cities and the rich culture the country had to offer. Mind you there are still many people out there many of whom I met or know on a personal level who are under the impression that South Africans reside in wooden, hut type homes with wild animals prowling near by. It’s quite hilarious when I get asked these questions but I guess if you havn’t experienced a country first hand you would never know what its really like living there.

So just over a month after arriving in the Kingdom, my room mate and I decided we should join the social club travel group that was heading to Madain Saleh over the Christmas weekend. The hospital I work for is very much state of the art, offering staff members numerous social activities on a daily basis. The employee social club’s responsibility is to simply keep all staff members and their dependents entertained. They are constantly arranging local as well as international trips for employees at a minimal cost. After completing the application forms and paying the fee we were all ready, get set, GO!!!

Visiting Madain Salah and the town of Al-Ula requires a permit. Special permission needs to be sought from the government and all passengers need to be police escorted throughout the trip. Rumour has it that many years ago a group of French tourists were driving in the region of Al ula and Madain Saleh. On the way they had a breakdown and whilst venturing in the desert to look for assistance they were abducted and murdered. I don’t know how true this story is but this is what I heard from the local people in the area.

We left for our weekend trip at 4pm Wednesday afternoon departing from the hospital bus stop and arriving at the airport at approximately 4.45pm, in time to board the 6pm flight to the beautiful city of Medinatul Munawwara. Flying time is approximately one hour. Having landed in Medina, we were received at the airport by two police escort vehicles. Heading north, we traveled across the Arabian desert, a long four hour drive.

The journey was uneventful with one stop for coffee and toilet break with occasional road blocks by the local officers. Throughout our journey, all our documentation was kept by our friendly Saudi guide Mr. Faris who accompanied us. Whenever we were stopped by local authorities, he would get down from the bus, chit-chatted with the officers and off we continued again. Oops I forgot to tell you that the most delicious kanafa I have ever eaten was from a small little take away restaurant we stopped at in a town called Khyber.

According to information acquired through the internet,"Khyber" means a fort, and the place was so named because it consisted of a series of forts. There were six or seven forts, and each fort was occupied by a different section of the Jews. It was an oasis in the desert, and was conspicuous for its fields and groves of date palms. It was an important market as well. After their expulsion from Madina, most of the Jews of Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir took refuge in Khyber. In the Battle of the Ditch, the Jews of Khyber had helped the Quraish. When after the Battle of the Ditch, the Jews of Banu Quraizah were executed and the Jews of Khyber vowed vengeance, and they planned an invasion of Madina on a large scale. They were seeking an alliance with the Quraish. In the meantime by the treaty of Hudaibiya, the Quraish had made a truce with the Muslims and were no longer free to join the Jews in an attack on Madina. That was the first advantage that accrued to the Muslims as a result of the treaty of Hudaibiya. After the neutralization of the Quraish, in any conflict between the Muslims and the Jews, the initiative now came to lie with the Muslims. Taking full advantage of this favorable situation, immediately on return from Makkah after signing the Hudaibiya pact, the Holy Prophet led a Muslim force to Khyber.The story of Khyber is long and intense and so I will refer you to a link for more details. However, I would like to point out to you that until today the fort of Khyber still stands although visits there are not encouraged by the Saudi government due to ongoing archaeological work by various archaeologists from around the globe and also to prevent certain Islamic sects from committing bid3a (innovations) at this site.

We arrived at the Arac Hotel Al Ula around midnight. This hotel is situated in the town of Al-Ula surrounded by picturesque mountains that are so different in texture and composition. I am yet to see mountains like these any where else in the world. After settling in we had a small bite and retired to bed. The next morning after having a sumptuous intercontinental breakfast prepared by the two jovial and friendly Indian chefs,we started our memorable tour of the ancient cities of Al Ula and Madain Saleh. We were joined by other tour groups from other parts of the world like Canada, France and some local Saudis hailing from other parts of the Kingdom. Before we continue let me give you some history on Madain Saleh (The city of Saleh) and Al Ula. Al Ula is situated northwest of Arabian Peninsular about 380 km North of Medina. It used to be an important trade centre for the old caravan route. From here trader routes branched into 2, the first led to Babylon passing through Taima and the second route led to Petra and Syria. Al Ula was controlled by four civilizations namely Didan, Labyan, Maeen and most famous the Nabateans. Started by the Didan in 160BC, and finally conquered by Nabateans in 9BC.

Madain Saleh is located approximately 20 kilometers from the town of Al Ula. As mentioned by wikipedia, according to the holy Quraan, by the 3rd millennium BCE, the site of Mada'in Saleh had already been settled by the tribe of Thamud.It is said that the tribe fell to idol worshipping; tyranny and oppression became prevalent.The Prophet Saleh, to whom the site's name of Mada'in Saleh is often attributed,called the Thamudis to repent.The Thamudis disregarded the warning and instead commanded Prophet Saleh to summon a pregnant she-camel from the back of a mountain. And so, a pregnant she-camel was sent to the people from the back of the mountain by Allah, as proof of Saleh's divine mission. However, only a minority heeded his words. The non-believers killed the sacred camel instead of caring for it as they were told, and its calf ran back to the mountain where it had come from, screaming. The Thamudis were given three days before their punishment was to take place, since they disbelieved they did not heed the warning.The prophet and the believers left the city, but the Thamudis were punished by Allah —their souls leaving their lifeless bodies in the midst of an earthquake and lightning blasts.

After that, Madain Saleh remained deserted and desolate for centuries until the Nabateans arrived. So who were the Nabateans? The Nabateans were a tremendous civilization. They were Arabs who came originally from the south of Arabian Peninsular in the first century AC. They inhabited Madain Saleh and made it their Southern Capital, while the Northern Capital was Petra. They built their tombs in the mountains and decorated it by adding various forms of engraving and aesthetic forms and shapes. Madain Saleh expanded rapidly and became powerful especially when the Nabateans started to control the ancient trade routes. The Romans were threatened by the Nabateans. Thus, they launched a war against the Nabateans in (106 AC) and succeeded in terminating them. Madain Saleh was deserted once again when the Romans went back to Al-Sham (Syria).It is worth mentioning that the Prophet Muhammed (saw) through his teachings and experiences had taught Muslims to avoid visiting places like Madain Saleh simply because God Almighty's wrath and punishment had fallen on such places.The Prophet (saw) said: "Do not pass through the dwelling place of those who wronged themselves without crying". Crying here means to reflect and ponder on the greatness of God Almighty and to understand the consequences and punishment involved if one violates or goes against the message of God.

For me Madain Saleh was like a book that suddenly came to life. Having read an in depth history of the place through a book called The Atlas of the Quraan, and then seeing the place in reality left me awestruck and fascinated. When the gates opened and we entered, my eyes immediately widened in wonder. The place was expansive! Highly reminiscent of the vast Karoo desert in South Africa- but painted by the colors of an ancient world gone by.

"We visited the Al-Khreimat. Approaching the tomb area was kind of mysterious and eerie. It consists of 53 tombs with diverse facades, some ornamented with two half balconies and others having a complete balcony. Combination of influences can be notified, Assyrian on top of the tombs, Egyptian carving at the base and Greek art was quite visible as well. We also saw some impressive tombs ornamented with large outstanding crowns and two winged animals with human heads. Tomb number 100 clearly showed the Nabatean style of sculpturing from rock. It is one of the most beautiful rock cemeteries that has a prominent crown and a two winged animal.I personally like the view of 'Qaser el-Bint' - Group of tombs, I think facing in the easterly direction. Behind it there is a Nabatean Temple engraved in rock. Called Al-Diwan, rectangular in shape, size 13m length x 10m width x 8 m height. Impressive hall with weird top. We continued our tour to several other tombs before going back to the hotel."

The next morning was Friday.
For a muslim this is the most important day of the week. Before performing the afternoon prayer, we visited the ruins of Al Ula Islamic City. It is located in the heart of Al Ula and dates back to 7th century after Hijra (Islamic Calendar - start from the migration of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW to Medina from Mecca). " Archaeologists believe that this is one of the best three Islamic cities next to Fars in Morroco and Tuleitula in Spain. They are still marvelously standing and unique with its old mosques, houses, markets and walls. It was built by generations and the people had immigrated from it completely around 40 years ago."

Locally known as Al-Deerah or "the old town", it exhibits the distinctive patterns of Islamic cities in the past. The houses of the village were made of old stones taken from the nearby Al-Khureabah ruins. This is why many inscriptions, writings and ornamentations are found in the stones of these buildings.The Heritage Village in Al-Ula is a complete residential city from one connected urban mass that is sorted in a systematic way. It has more than 870 houses in two-story buildings linked together throughout a number of narrow semi-covered alleys or "Azigah". The village displays paved streets surrounded by a wall with no less than fourteen gates; and every gate was locked at night to defend it from intruders and foreign attacks. The buildings have many fascinating archaeological features. For example, they have no openings on the ground floor level for entrance into the streets. Openings were made only in the upper floors; and the roofs were made of palm tree trunks and reeds which were covered with layers of mud, afterwards.

"One attraction worth mentioning is the Solar Clock. Located south of the city with a pyramid-like construction. It was used to identify the four seasons of the year, especially winter by observing a piece of rock which is implanted into the ground in front of the pyramidal construction. The shadow of this solar clock shall reach this rock on the first day of winter, that is 21st December. The shadow of this solar clock will reach the rock again only the following year, at the same time and date. This clock is still successfully used and many tourists would come to witness this unique event. After that we visited Al- Hejaz Railway Station located in Hai Ak-Qitar (one of the important stations connecting Saudi and Syria - used to be), Jabal Al-Fil (Mount Elephant)- true enough it looks like a Mammoth to me smacked in the Arabian desert." Near the site of the elephant rock structure we were approached by a resident of Al Ula who was in the area to visit his camels. He was a middle aged Saudi gentleman who made his way from Al Ula city in a black GMC vehicle. He invited us to his tent and offered us Arabic coffee (Qahwa) and dates. He enlightened us more on the original inhabitants of the town. Whilst the Saudi government does not allow women to drive, I was very surprised to learn that his wife has been driving in the town for many years without any one objecting.

After lunch we left Al Ula for another long journey back to the Holy City of Medina. We then took a connecting flight back to Riyadh….Another memorable trip I would never forget!!!!!!

Source:

http://www.sauditourism.com.sa/en/Provinces/news.aspx?NewsID=130

http://www.madainsaleh.net/HISTORY.html

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/57115/

Video footage of Khyber fort

The Journey Begins.......November 2008, a new era in my life.

http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/rebecca-willis/7-wonders-rachel-portman - picture

Three years has almost elapsed since arriving in the magnificent Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and what a remarkable three years it has been. I can still remember making the announcement of my departure to my family and friends at the annual Eid gathering that my family hosted. Mixed reactions came my way, some of them positive , supportive and encouraging and well others were quite negative. Why do you want to serve the Arab nation I was asked. Why do you want to leave your luxury home, cars and comfort and relocate for a few years into a backward, arrogant society? Someone even said that in no time I would quit and runaway back home. But I was determined to come to the Kingdom and face the situation heads on. For me it was a challenge leaving home and relocating to another country all by myself having grown up in a sheltered well protected environment where all my needs and desires were catered for. 

I will never forget the day I left my country greeting many family members at the airport. Some of them had tear filled eyes whilst others were simply supportive and encouraging like my parents. I guess the sadness they had was in actual fact a silent, inner grief. They knew they had to support me and encourage me to complete the goal that I had set out to accomplish.

After a long flight through Abu Dhabi I had finally arrived at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh and was warmly received by a hospital representative. After completing all the formalities we then headed off to the hospital and from that day onward, my new home.

I had frequented the Kingdom prior to 2008 on an umrah trip(mini pilgrimage) with my family. I had visited the port city if Jeddah and of course the two holiest cities in the Islamic world, Makkah tul Mukarrama and Medinatul Munawwara. It was the first time that I had visited Riyadh and I was taken aback by the beauty of the airport and the numerous green parks the city had to offer.

After making our way through the city and passing numerous traffic signals we finally arrived at the hospital. I was flabbergasted at the size and magnitude of the hospital ground. It was like a mini city within a huge city.
I was dropped off at the housing complex and was handed over my apartment key. Naturally after traveling many thousands of miles since the night before I was exhausted and thought to myself that I will unpack, take a shower , get something to eat and head off straight to bed. I was under the impression that I would be living in my own non-sharing apartment. As I opened the door of apartment 254, I was startled and kind of disappointed to be greeted by my new room mate, someone I had n’t met in my entire life. We are two different people from two different backgrounds. I started wondering how am I going to cope with this and this is just the beginning. I think its always easier sharing an apartment with someone you already know, someone with similar ideas and interests, someone with the same religious background.

Miss F, my room mate was a nurse positioned within the fast paced emergency department. Like most people from the west, she was quite fascinated with the culture and traditions of Saudi Arabia. Yet for her, everyday was a constant struggle. She couldn’t quite understand why does a woman need to walk around with a black cloak (abaya) or “sheet” as she would say or why some women veiled their faces(Niqaab). She was completely out of tune with Islamic teachings or principles and all she ever knew was what was portrayed to her via the television.

I found this kind of behaviour common amongst many westerners residing here. Having come from the USA or the UK, they can not quite comprehend or understand Middle eastern culture.

I think the key to being a successful expatriate is being able to fit in with the native society, understand their cultures and belief systems and respect them. I think this principle holds true for all expatriates across the globe. I have found many westerners criticizing the local customs and traditions, instead of embracing them. The ones that embrace them land up staying in the Kingdom successfully, lead productive and active social lives and learn from their experiences whilst residing among Arab people.

I have met two American nurses who are residing in the Kingdom for over 18 years now. Miss P is the one I’m really fond off. She is the mother of one parrot and a beautiful chubby Siamese cat. She derives pleasure and happiness from finding homes for the stray cats roaming around on the hospital premises. Miss P has a friend that resides outside the hospital. She was telling me that her attitude was typically the same like all westerners who arrive here. According to her own account, she was anti Muslim, found Islam to be a backward religion and yet unbelievably after 18 years of residing within the Kingdom, interacting with Muslim people she finds herself on the verge of embracing Islam.

As a Muslim woman myself, the transition from South Africa to Saudi Arabia was not at all life altering at all. For a Muslim,religion is a part of ones’ life, meaning that all your daily activities would be revolved around the five daily prayers. Hence the life I would lead in south Africa is a mirror image to the one I would lead in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and hence I took to the place with much ease and comfort. I always believe that if something is written out for you in your destiny it will certainly materialize and when it does happen all of it will occur smooth sailing without any hindrances or obstacles. This is the power of God. This is the power of the Almighty.

I must admit the first time I landed foot in the Kingdom for a short two week mini pilgrimage a good few years ago, I was not at all impressed with the attitude of the local people. They came across as rude, arrogant and abrupt. However, after residing in the Kingdom for almost three years now, I can tell you with certainty that my perception of the people here has changed. You can not judge a country or a nation based on just a short two week stay. When you live with a nation, interact with them on a daily basis, it is then that you can understand their personalities and customs. What may be acceptable to an individual from a western orientated society may not necessarily be acceptable within an eastern traditional society governed by laws of the Quraan.

The bottom line folks, is that in every society we get the good, the bad and the ugly. We should stop judging people based on our preconceived notions or our perceptions of them based on media propaganda. Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Respect other people’s cultures and belief systems and it is then that the world will respect you in return!!!