National traditions of Saudi Arabia. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Saudi Arabia is a peculiar country. It was closed to tourists until recently. The crown Prince started taking steps to develop tourism, building hotels on the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf a few years ago. Access to the country is still quite difficult. A visa is required to enter the country. It is forbidden to travel alone, especially for women. Only Muslims can visit Mecca and Medina.

Religion is not separate from the state. Sharia law takes precedence over secular laws. There's religious police here. Even a Prince can be punished by it. The law does not require women to be in closed clothing, with their head covered, and their faces covered outside the home. But the religious police strictly enforce this rule and severely punish those who are guilty. Previously, the Abaya (closed garment) could only be black. It was also necessary to cover the face and the eyes. Abayas with embroidery and different colors have appeared in recent years. But they are still not widespread. Many women leave their eyes open. Tourists do not have to wear an Abaya. But their clothing should be closed and their head covered. Clothing should not be transparent and emphasize the silhouette. Traditional dress, shirt or trousers, or fashionable modern designer clothing can be under the Abaya.

Women are restricted in their rights. They were allowed to drive, attend sporting events, and leave the house without a male escort only recently. The rule that a woman must have a male guardian was recently abolished. Women were able to have passports. The woman was entered in the passport of the father, and then the husband’s passport before that. A single woman without a male escort may not be allowed into the country. Women can vote only in municipal elections. They can't communicate with strange men. All public places and establishments are divided into women's and men's zones. Women were not able to work until recently. This led to the fact that the sellers in women's clothing stores were also men. This meant that women could not try on clothes even in the changing room. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The man is the head of the family. He may have several wives. Religion also imposes certain restrictions on men. But their number is incomparably less than that of women. Gambling and alcohol are prohibited. The penalty for violation will be very significant. Revealing men's clothing is also not welcome. Men wear traditional closed attire. This is a long wool or silk shirt to the ankles, a handkerchief "gutra" on the head, which is attached with a cord tied around the head.

An invitation to visit is very rare, especially for foreigners. It is customary to give a small gift to the owner and children in such cases. Women will not be present at the table since they are forbidden to communicate with strange men. It is considered normal to be late. There may be situations when guests arrive before the hosts. It is not customary to keep dogs in the house. They are considered dirty animals, unlike the cats favored by the prophet Muhammad.

Families are deeply patriarchal. A husband can divorce his wife at any time by uttering the sacramental phrase "you are divorced". As a rule, children stay with their father. A woman can also file for divorce. But she will need 6 witnesses for this. The reason may be a lack of financial support or neglect of marital duties.

Dancing with members of the opposite sex is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia. Many other modern dances are also forbidden. It is believed that they undermine the moral foundations. National dances performed by men are allowed. Cinemas opened in 2108 after a break of almost forty years.

Some rules of communication are unusual and strange for Europeans. The left hand is considered unclean. It is forbidden to direct your feet in the direction of the interlocutor, keep your hands in your pockets, actively gesticulate, and touch the interlocutor. You can't talk about religious or political issues.

You should be careful when photographing people and objects. Permission is often required for this. It is strictly forbidden to photograph buildings belonging to the Royal family. You can photograph men with their permission. It is forbidden to photograph women. Street photography was only allowed in 2006. It was not possible to buy a smartphone with a camera in the country until recently.

Sharia is intolerant of any other religion. It is forbidden to publicly preach, build temples or even pray. This can be done only in private homes only by representatives of those faiths that are officially allowed. Their list is approved by the Ministry of labor. Any public meetings other than Muslim prayer meetings are prohibited, even if it is a normal picnic.