DIVORCING SAUDI STYLE - Part 2

http://free-infotainment.blogspot.com/2010/03/divorced-cakes.html- Picture

Staying on the theme of divorce, after reading the article I posted a few days ago many of you out there felt pity for Saudi women as they seemed to be the poor victims whilst Saudi men took on the character of being the dominant villains. Sorry to burst your bubble folks but this scenario is definitely not true. As I mentioned earlier there is always two sides to a story. Let us now examine some of the weird and bizarre reasons why a Saudi woman would divorce her husband. Whilst surfing the internet I once again came across some really hilarious articles.

A wife put an end to her husband’s romantic conduct when she filed for divorce after he kissed her in front of their children, Riyadh daily reported.

According to the wife, for years she had suffered from her husband’s overrated romance. She said that she had warned him many times not to be over romantic with her in front of the kids.For five years, she said, she had condoned his behavior, until he kissed her recently in front of the children again. She then filed for divorce.

"A Saudi Arabian woman filed for divorce after her new husband left her at an airport because shed been on the toilet for too long. The couple were returning from their honeymoon in Malaysia when he returned home from Kuala Lumpur airport because she had been in the bathroom for too long. Im not sure how long constitutes too long and an acceptable reason to leave without her."

After 30 years of marriage, cynics might say most husbands and wives would have seen quite enough of each other, thank you very much.But not in the case of one Saudi Arabian man who managed to live with his wife for three decades without setting eyes on her face.Not that he had much choice about it. His 50-year-old wife followed the tradition of her native village near the south-western city of Khamis Mushayt and kept her features veiled at all times.Until one night last month, that is, when the husband was finally overcome by curiosity and tried to lift his wife's veil as she slept to take a look at her face.

Tradition: In the village in South West Saudia Arabia, women keep their features veiled at all times.It was an error he is unlikely to be given a chance to repeat for his outraged wife woke up during his sneak peek and is now demanding a divorce.

'After all these years, he tries to commit such a big mistake,' she told Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh after leaving the house in disbelief.

She said her husband apologized and promised never to do it again, but she insisted she wanted a divorce. It is not the first example of Saudi husbands with wives forever shrouded in mystery.There was the case of Ali al-Qahtani whose wife had been wearing a face veil for the entire ten years of their marriage. When he tried to take it off she threatened to leave and only decided to stay after he swore never to try again.And neither the husband or children of Om Rabea al-Gahdaray, 70, have ever seen her face. It was a family tradition, also followed by her mother and sisters, which her husband accepted and never tried to change, she said. When asked how she could have children without her husband ever seeing her face, she replied: "Marriage is about love, not faces."Many Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran require women to cover their faces in public but in the privacy of their homes there is no such compulsion.But always remaining veiled - even in front of your husband - is not an Islamic practice, but a very old tradition practiced by a tiny minority of women in remote areas of Gulf countries.Most examples of it are in Saudi, one of the most conservative of countries.

Saudi courts should grant divorce for a woman who discovers that her husband is a smoker and that she is harmed by his habit, a judge in the Gulf Kingdom was reported on Thursday as saying.“A wife should be granted divorce and separated from her husband in case she discovers that he is a smoker,” judge Ibrahim Al khudairi told the Saudi Arabic language daily Al Watan.“If the woman tells the court that she has been hurt by her husband’s smoking, like suffering from allergy or chest problems, then she should be divorced.”

Furious after her husband stores her name on his cellular phone as Guantanamo, a Saudi woman files divorce after the notorious American prison, saying it is enough of a reason to end a 17-year marriage.The unnamed woman, 30, reportedly called her husband on his mobile phone, which he had forgotten at home, and saw the word "Guantanamo" appears on the screen, Saudi's al-Watan newspaper reported.The furious wife, who lives in Jeddah, immediately filed for divorce and argued that the nickname shows her husband, is a tyrannical person that she could no longer live with despite 17 years of marriage. The husband, however, defended himself by claiming that the nickname was not about how he sees her, but rather to maintain his own privacy."I don't want people sitting around me to know that this is my wife calling," he told local papers.The controversial Guantanamo Bay detention center, managed by the U.S. military in Cuba, became the symbol of torture and oppression in George W. Bush's "war on terrorism" launched after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.For other Saudi husbands it is common practice to create alias' for their wives on their phones in a bid to secure their privacy.Saudi-resident Khaled al-Maliki chose the nickname "criminal" for his wife because he says she stresses him out and calls him all the time to ask where he is. Maliki also cites privacy as the reason for giving his wife the nickname."Sometimes my friends use my mobile phone or might be next to me when she calls," he told Asharq al-Awsat. "I don't want anyone to know my wife's phone number."Khaled Omar said he stored his wife "salary" because "she has no mercy when it comes to spending."Abu Sultan decided to store his wife under a common Arabic man's name "Saeed al-Hindi" so that people will not know his wife is calling.But for Dr. Mohamed al-Motawaa, professor of psychology at the al-Imam Mohamed bin Saud Islamic University, these names are provocative and insulting."These names indicate the type of relationship between husband and wife," he told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. "These names are like a bullet aiming at the woman's heart, especially if the kids hear them," he said. "This is has a negative impact not only on the wife, but also on the kids when they grow up."

A colleague and I were both laughing in stitches after reading the last article. I then asked him what nickname would he use for his wife and whilst still very much in a fit of laughter he replied 'Hitler'. So gentlemen out there what pseudonym or alias would you create for your wife on your mobile phone? This ought to be an interesting one.

AN EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM A SAUDI GENTLEMAN STUDYING IN THE USA

http://jeddah-blog.com/2012/02/20/bates-students-come-to-saudi-arabia-host-families-needed-2/ - Picture

Assalamu3alaykum Sumayya,

I am writing to you and hoping everything is going well with you.

Since I am now in the USA continuing my studies and this is for me the first real experience to live outside my home country and culture that I am so use to facing every day, I thus have so many thoughts about this experience and stories o...f different people “Saudis and Americans”.

About myself, I did not need America or the “American System” to teach me the mannerism, good behavior, or communication skills with other people, Alhamdulillah “thanks to Allah” I got those from my childhood since I have good parents. But, unfortunately, for some reasons many Saudis are lacking those behaviors and I am sure you know what I am talking about. It is really difficult for me to live the unorganized inconsiderate Saudi style in my country. So, when I and many of my good friends came to USA, we just found the “way of living and common respect” fits in with our lives. We started to hear new words were simply missed in our culture back in Saudi Arabia like “Thank You”, “Excuse me”, “Please”, or “Sorry”. Guess what, I saw people standing in a queue everywhere “banks, shops, and even in front of a hot dog carts on the sidewalks”. I have seen people holding the door for me to keep it open, which I hardly recall ever happening in Saudi Arabia….. Oh wait I am sorry, it does happen for certain people only who are ranked highly in society and the doors figuratively and literally are kept open for their pleasure, even though this may affect other people. A common mistake in our society is that if anyone thinks that you disagree with some people from within your community that means you are against the country or you are a rebelling person. I am one proud Muslim, but I prefer a Christian guy who treats me with respect over a Muslim who happens to be unfair with others. Many close minded people will take my speech as being liberal or me being influenced by secular thoughts.

But for sure America is not that perfect place with no one single flaw. “I believe that heaven is the only perfect place”. They have their horrible history from the Indians and Native Americans, slavery, and racism and discrimination. I am sure you are a good reader and follow the news. Almost 35 years ago during the blackout that stroked New York City , the city was lacking the power for only two days, but people went mad and started to break shops and commit crimes for no reason at all. I am, as a resident there, always keeping in my mind that Mr. Johnny who happens to be a nice, smiley friendly neighbor, when he loses his job and thus has no money in his hands, he might take the advantage of the blackout and rob me. Unfortunately, this behavior of stealing from others in times of crisis occurred during the last big explosion of the gas lorry in Riyadh and it was videoed as well.

As a general observation, we have the same crimes as they do. But they are taking it seriously and try their best to catch the criminals and, in contrary, we do not.

Needless to say that freedom in the USA has the greatest impact on their culture. But as Muslim, there are things that cannot be accepted under freedom of choice “like homosexuality, parents abandoned by their kids, sexual relationships before marriage, abortion, and etc…”. and for some unknown reason, you cannot say it in public that you are against these kind of behaviors.

I remember when I was having a discussion about culture differences with an American, he asked me: “are you a religious person?” and I answered: “your question has a different meaning in our religion in comparison to yours. For us as Muslims, you have to pray all the prayers no matter what happened, with a small exception in the arrangement for certain times, etc… So we have to be religious otherwise we will not be called Muslims. For your religion, if you asked someone are you a religious, that means do you go to a church every Sunday, and if he does not go to a church, he will still be called a Christian”

Then he made me laugh when I asked him:” Do you go to a church?”

He said:” NO, and God has to understand that”

In general, if there is one thing I can bring back home from the USA, it is how to deal with other people with respect and how to understand other peoples point of view. We are labeled as Muslims, but we don’t practice this great faith.

DIVORCING SAUDI STYLE - Part 1

http://rt.com/news/saudi-divorce-radio-disobedient-248/ - picture

Saudi Arabia is reported to be a country that has one the highest divorce rates in the world. Almost one fifth of all marriages do not last and this figure seems to be increasing annually. According to Arab news some time back, Saudi women are to blame for most of the divorces as they enter into marriage type relationships without being adequately trained domestically.Whilst there is some truth in this, I personally believe that there is always two sides to a story.After all, it takes 'two to tango'. Whilst researching this subject though, I came across some really hilarious articles in which Saudi men have divorced their wives in pretty unconventional and innovative ways.

According to Emirates 24/7 news, a Saudi husband used a loudspeaker to divorce his wife at a busy shopping mall after seeing her take a note from another man bearing his phone number.This, according to the Saudi Arabic language quotidian, Kabar.
The husband was with his wife and three children at the mall when he went his own way into a men’s clothing shop.
“When he left that shop, he saw a man giving his wife a note bearing his phone number…she accepted the paper and put it inside her bag,” The newspaper did not mention where the mall is located.“He then used the mall’s loudspeaker to shout divorce words against his wife although she was with her three children.

Earlier this year, a Saudi man broke up with his wife because she disobeyed him by going on a business trip without his consent.
The man phoned a radio program dealing with marital problems to complain about his wife to host Sheikh Ghazi al-Shammari, a prominent Islamic scholar. The unnamed man said his wife “offended his manhood” by traveling from the Saudi port city of Jeddah to the capital Riyadh for a business conference, alone and without his approval.
Al-Shammari concluded that the man had to divorce his wife.
“Such a wife is suspicious because she insisted to travel alone to Riyadh and without ample reason,” Al-Shammari later said, as quoted by Al-Arabiya. “I did not rush with the advice because I saw that the issue was dangerous and that we should not remain silent more about it.” The caller decided to heed the advice, and divorced his wife of ten years – during the live broadcast. Al-Shammari said the man should consider remarrying her if she repents for her actions.

Two years ago, a Saudi man divorced his wife by sending her a text message.A court in the city of Jeddah finalized the divorce, which under Saudi Arabia's Islamic Shariah law only requires a man who wants a divorce to tell his spouse "I divorce you" three times, The Daily Telegraph reported. The Telegraph said the divorce is believed to be the first in Saudi Arabia to be initiated by a text message.
The man, who was in Iraq at the time the message was sent, called on two relatives to confirm his intentions in court.
The Arab News reported the man was in Iraq for "what he described as 'jihad.'"

Just a few days ago, a Saudi man in his 30's divorced his wife for having an account on Twitter without his knowledge according to Arab news. The husband asked her to cancel her account after he found out that his wife had many male and female followers.
"He took the decision to divorce when she refused, after which she went to her father’s house in Jeddah.
The husband tried to call her back and according to their relatives, reconciliation efforts resulted in a suggested agreement under which the husband will have to pay an amount of money to his wife, who will in turn delete her account.
However, the wife insists on keeping the account, saying the husband’s action was unjustifiable and that she is not convinced that simply being on Twitter could cause a family dispute of this scale. Members of the family said efforts are ongoing to bring the couple back together, and that the reconciliation money could be doubled."

Early last year,Guinness World record judges confirmed that Abdulaziz Goldstein became the first man to divorce his wife via twitter.The 38-year-old Saudi sent the termination tweet of ‘I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you’ to his former wife, who wishes to remain unnamed, while away on business in Bahrain in February of this year. It was only when friends suggested that Goldstein might be the first to use the platform to make such an annulment did he contact Guinness.
“I’m amazed,” he told The Pan-Arabia Enquirer from his hometown of Riyadh last night. “When I sent the tweet, I never thought in a million years that I would be the first to do so. It just seemed like the obvious way to do it at the time, as I had run out of credit so couldn’t send an SMS.” Using the remaining 96 characters of his tweet, Goldstein is believed to have asked his then wife to remember to take the trash out and pick up his mother from bridge club.

I find the last article to be dubious though. For a start I have not come across original Najdi Saudis with the surname of Goldstein and neither have I come across a bridge club within the Riyadh area. It is articles like these that create a mockery towards Islamic values and towards an Islamic lifestyle in totality. Divorce in Islam is a very serious issue and usually when a couple is heading for a divorce both sides of the family will make tremendous efforts to provide the couple with advice and also encourage reconciliation especially if there are kids involved. In an authentic hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, the Prophet Muhammed (saw) said," Of all the lawful acts the most detestable to Allah is divorce." Usually, the husband will give one talaaq either written or verbally. In other words he will say "I divorce you" once. The husband and wife will then stay under one roof for a period of three months without having any sexual relationship."The waiting period helps to prevent hasty terminations due to anger and allows both parties time to reconsider as well as to see if the wife is pregnant. If the wife is pregnant, the waiting period is lengthened until she delivers. At any point during this time, the husband and wife are free to resume their conjugal relationship, thereby ending the divorce process. During this waiting period, the husband remains financially responsible for the support of his wife." There are various other laws and regulations pertaining to the divorce issue and in general it is not as simple as saying "I divorce you" three times. Whilst many people from other parts of the world may find it shocking and presumably frown upon the fact that women in this region can be merely divorced via sms, twitter,on live national radio or through a mall loudspeaker (quite bizarre in my opinion), this is unfortunately divorce Saudi style!!

THE SAUDI MAN'S BISHT

 

                                                  Bisht by Mokhtar Chahine

Article written by Rima Al- Mukhtar

A bisht is a traditional Arabian long cloak men wear over their thobes. This cloak is usually made of wool and ranges in color from white, beige, and cream to the darker shades of brown, grey and black. The word bisht is derived from Persian — to go on one’s back. Originally the bisht was worn in winter by Bedouins. Now it’s only worn for special occasions like weddings, festivals, graduations and Eid.
The bisht has been the choice of formal wear for politicians, religious scholars and high-ranking individuals in Arabian Gulf countries, Iraq and countries north of Saudi Arabia. This traditional flowing cloak is meant to distinguish those who wear it. People say no cloth can provide the distinction of a hand-tailored bisht. This is why the art of bisht tailoring is a skill handed down from generation to generation.
Abu Salem, a Saudi tailor from Al-Ahsa, said, “Bishts were first tailored in Persia. Saudis were introduced to them when bisht vendors came here for Haj or Umra.”
Al-Ahsa area in the Eastern Province has been home to the best bisht tailors for over 200 years and leading producers in the Gulf countries since the 1940.
Some families in Al-Ahsa inherited their forefather’s skill and continue to make bishts in their family name. You can find a bisht called the Al-Qattan, Al-Kharas, Al-Mahdi or the Al-Bagli.
Three types of embroidery are used in making the bisht: gold stitch, silver stitch and silk stitch. The thread is called zari and gold and silver are very common. “Black bishts with gold stitching is the most popular, after cream and white,” said Abu Salem. “In the early 90s new colors were introduced to the bisht market. Blue, grey and maroon are mostly worn by the younger generation. The older generation sticks to the traditional black, brown and cream,” he added.
Prices vary from SR 100 all the way up to SR 20,000 depending on the fabric, stitching, color and style. The most expensive, the Royal bisht is specially tailored for princes, politicians and the weathy. “These people usually choose black, honey, beige and cream for their bishts,” said Abu Salem. “They are always handmade and use gold or silver thread and sometimes a combination of both,” he added.
Abu Salem said, “There are two kinds of zari, the genuine which is silk or cotton yarn covered with pure gold or silver, and the imitation where the yarn is covered with silver electroplated copper wire. Each tailor has his own trademark zari design.”
There are three main bisht designs, the Darbeyah, Mekasar and the Tarkeeb.
Darbeyah is handmade with genuine zari embroidery and traditional patterns and the style is square and loose. Mekasar also known as Gasbi, has silk embroidery along the edge of the fabric.
“Tarkeeb means fitting and it comes with a Darbeyah design with gold zari embroidery on tailored bisht fabric,” said Abu Salem.
Until the invention of the sewing machine the original bisht was hand sewn. “These days most bishts are machine-made but some people prefer a handmade one for their finer detail,” he said.
Abu Salem said, “Tailoring Hasawi bishts is an art that requires accuracy and skill. The gold embroidery requires patience and takes many hours. The length of time depends on the style and design. Hand-making one of these bishts could take from 80 to 120 hours and four tailors, each with one specific task.”
The Hasawi, a special of Al-Ahsa, is the most expensive using camel or lama hair or goat wool with gold embroidery on the collar and sleeves.
Traditionally, the bisht has two sleeves but it can be worn with only one arm through the sleeve and the other wrapped around loosely and tucked into the side.

Source:

http://www.arabnews.com/fashion/traditional-modern-saudi-mans-bisht

Celebratory Gunfire

Around two years ago I attended a Saudi wedding. It was of course a very lavish and posh affair as both the bride and the groom hailed from very well to do, elite families. I was invited from the Groom's side of the family and I recall whilst visiting his family home sitting in the company of the female members of the house, I suddenly heard this loud thud sound.I thought they were having a fire works display outside and I was all excited. Naturally I wanted to have a peek through the window as well. However, I was quite shocked to discover that it was not a fire works display but rather a couple of men firing gun shots in the air out of sheer happiness.It was a very strange sight for me to see. I was quite pleased to read in the newspaper that the "Minister of the Interior, Prince Ahmed stated on Saturday, that all Saudi Governorates are required to uphold the laws and regulations on banning public celebratory usage of live firearms in weddings and festivals.The Minister’s statement comes amid public concern over the phenomenal increase in the use of live firearms in weddings, which sometimes end in fatal accidents.Security Agencies including the Saudi Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution are ordered to pursue anyone involved in exercising public celebratory shooting of firearms. Violators of the Kingdom’s regulation laws on arms and ammunition are subject to a prison sentencing."

A side thought:

 My colleagues informed me that in Jordan and Yemen, the men also fire gunshots in the air during wedding celebrations or if someone in the community graduates from university.It is apparently a sign of tremendous happiness and jubilation.

My interview with a remarkable Saudi gentleman

It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to conduct sporadic interviews on Desert Moon's Diary.  This interview is with Fahad, a young Saudi gentleman who resided and studied in the UK for many years and has now made his way back to Saudi Arabia. He has kindly agreed to  answer some questions about life in the United Kingdom and life in Saudi Arabia.Desert Moon welcomes him....

 1.To begin with Fahad, Welcome!  Please share a little bit about yourself such as where you are originally from in Saudi Arabia. Give us an insight into your family. How many siblings do you have?

 First of all I would like to thank you for having me Desert Moon, it’s a real pleasure for me to be interviewed on your blog. My name is Fahad and I am a 25 year old from a small village in Al-Qassim. I come from a very simple and modest family. I have a 27 year old brother and two younger sisters at the age of 16 and 12. 

 2. How old were you when you left Saudi Arabia for the UK? Why did you move to the UK initially?

 I travelled to the UK with my family at the age of 15 due to a work assignment for my father from the Saudi Ministry of Defense. In the beginning I was against the relocation because it is hard to leave your friends and relatives behind and go to a place where you have never been and where friends do not exist. However, the UK started to grow in me and right now I honestly feel its home. 

 3.What was your life and lifestyle like in the United Kingdom with your parents?

 I didn’t have a lifestyle in the beginning. I was focusing too much on my studies and failed to bond with my peers and make friends. I was very concerned about the future and therefore I paid too much attention to reading and studying. What made the situation worse is that I studied in King Fahad Academy in London where it was the first year for this school to teach the Saudi curriculum. We did not have enough teachers and I struggled a lot in learning because I had to depend on my own self which was very new to me as the Saudi curriculum is a spoon-feeding educational system.

 4.What kind of adjustments did you face when you returned back to Saudi Arabia the first time?

 Since we relocated to the UK I rarely visited Saudi because I started to lose contacts with my Saudi friends. The longest period for me away from Saudi was 4.5 years continuously. My visits to Saudi did not exceed one week (I normally arrive to Saudi on Monday and then leave on Thursday based on the Saudi Airline Schedule which means my visit to the UK does not exceed four days). Currently I am working abroad and might relocate to Russia so I am still not quite settled in Saudi.

 5.What did you miss most about the UK culture and lifestyle?

 I miss many things! I miss my friends, the landscapes, the weather, I miss how organized people are in their queues and how they follow the system, I miss the fish and chips and Indian restaurants near my flat, I miss driving in the left hand side of the lane, I miss my university life, my old job, my neighbors and so many things! 

 6.What were you happiest to return to with regards to the Saudi culture and lifestyle?

 I happy being back to my family and relatives. Regarding lifestyle, all what I can say I’m searching for a lifestyle here in Saudi because I still did not adapt to the situation and it seems a bit hard to find activities due to lack of friends and terrible weather.

 7.Can you describe for the blog readers what your typical routine and life is like as a man in Saudi Arabia?

 Lifestyle in Saudi Arabia is mainly based around family, relatives, work and friends. For males they normally hang out in restaurants, coffee shops or camp in the desert while females normally they will either have their friends over, hang out in restaurants or malls in their free time.

 8.What is your opinion about females driving in Saudi Arabia?

 Females should have the freedom to drive. There is no reason for them not to!! However, I don’t think the Saudi culture is ready for females to drive as this will cause a culture shock and will cause many females to be harassed. Therefore, I suggest that this idea should be introduced with a fixed step plan. For example, the first step could be to allowing Females over the age of 40 to drive between 6 am to 4 pm so that they can drive their children to school and pick them up. The second step could be to allow females who are working or have a career to drive where they will be restricted to a careful. After these two steps, the Saudi culture will begin to accept and absorb the idea of females driving so that all females will then be allowed to drive without any restrictions just like males.

 9. You studied in the UK. Tell us a little bit more about the degree you acquired.

 I have obtained my bachelor degree from the University of Nottingham where I obtained an Honor degree in Computer Engineering and Electronics. I also obtained a Master Honor degree in Communication Electronics and Computer Engineering from the University of Nottingham. I carried out many projects during my degree such as creating an optical software which was sold for Monica Health care LTD, creating a modem from scratch and then program it with a budget that doesn’t exceed 10 GBP within a 4 months period where I obtained the British Telecom Prize, I carried out a project in the Artificial Intelligence field where the project was called “Artificial Neural Network for Semiconductor Nano-measurements”. The project was then modified slightly with the help of my professor to aid the NHS in studding the effect of AIDS on blood cells to help them understand the disease and find a cure and finally I worked with the Rolls Royce in my master degree in the field of acoustics to characterize the materials used in their jet engines amongst other little projects in the field of ultrasonic and lasers. Currently, I am working for Schlumberger as a wireline field engineer As a Wireline field engineer I am trained to provide detailed records of the geological formation penetrated by the borehole using very advanced and high technical tools. The job involves a lot of pressure such working for very long hours continuously which sometimes exceeds 48 hours. In addition, it involves many risks such as heavy machinery, explosives, pressure that exceed 35K PSI and radioactive materials.

 10.Since you spent a number of years earlier living in the United Kingdom, do you think this has made your parents more open about opportunities for you and your sisters?

 Actually, my father travels a lot and he has lived in many places. Since I was born, I spent the first five years in my life in the USA but I vaguely have any memories, only pictures to look a. Moreover, I have lived around 10 years in the UK. I do believe travelling opens your mind, broadens your thoughts and changes you!

 11.Please describe the distinctions and differences you see between the Saudi and the UK educational systems.  What are the pros and cons of each one?  How does it feel to be in the open environment of the UK education system without segregation?  What do you think about the freedoms of expression such as the ability to wear almost anything to school rather than a uniform?

 I would regretfully say that the Saudi education system is a spoon feeding educational system which is mainly based on memorization. While the UK system makes you depend on yourself and develop your research methods. The Saudi educational system is a bit strict such that the system is fixed and you have to take certain modules whereas the UK system allows you to tailor your modules based on your desired career path. However, the only thing I noticed is that the Saudi education system is very strong in math such that many of the things which were introduced in university was already presented in the Saudi educational system including the advanced subjects! 
 I do believe that school should have a uniform for its students but allowing them to have casual Fridays.

12.Were you  accepted by classmates and neighbours in the United Kingdom as a Saudi person coming from an Islamic background?  What are the typical questions you are asked?

 The UK is a great place and in my opinion it’s the best country to live in due to its diversity. There are Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus and many other relegions . Everyone is accepted regardless of their gender, belief and ethnicity. No struggle with racism at all.

 13.Do you find that your friends are more likely other Saudi and international students or do you also have a number of British friends as well?

 The majority of my friends are actually British and I do have some few arab friends mainly from Saudi.

 14.Were the female members of your family fully adorned with the face veil whilst in the UK or did they simply wear a scarf or was their no difference in dress code between Saudi Arabia and the UK? Kindly elaborate....

 In UK they would wear the scarf and dress presentably whereas in Saudi they have to wear the face veil due to the cultural customs.

 15.Are there many in your circle of family and friends who are living in polygamy?  What are your own views on polygamy?  Do you think a woman has a choice on whether or not she needs to “accept” polygamy?

 I do know certain friends who are living in polygamy. The subject is too wide to be discussed. It is accepted in Islam to live in polygamy but there are guidelines and certain aspects that have to be fulfilled. The system was not created for the man to enjoy himself but there are big reasons behind it where many books do discuss it. But not anyone should live in polygamy and I personally cannot have more than one woman in my life!

 16.What do you think is the largest misconception outsiders have of Saudis?  How can this misconception be rectified?

 The misconception is that we are terrorists and that we are horrible people. I am not saying we are good or bad but each society have both kinds. We are very peaceful, love to help others and I would encourage everyone to read about islam and know about our prophet and get their misconceptions rectified through seeking knowledge.

 17. Would you opt for an arranged marriage or a love marriage?

 For sure a love marriage. Even though it took a while for my family to accept it but it has to be a love marriage otherwise I am happy to continue being single.

 18. Would your family allow you as a Saudi man to marry someone from an outside culture or religion?

 It has been discussed with my family and most probably I will not marry a Saudi woman. However, that would probably mean I will migrate from Saudi and most probably to the UK because the culture will not be fair to my wife.

 19.Where do you hope to see yourself in the next five years?

 I am in the process of gaining field experience and already have plans to work for myself in my field. I started a couple of small projects and hopefully in five year I will be working for my own self.

 20.Are there any additional comments you’d like to add for the blog readers?

 I would like to thank you all for reading and it was an honor and real pleasure to be interviewed.

 Thanks again, Fahad, for taking the time to answer these questions and also for sharing some of your pictures with all of us . I wish you all the best with your career and beyond!