Music

Music in Saudi Arabia is a little different than here in the states. We don't have rap or country obviously. Music that promotes sin or indecency is forbidden in Islam. Most of the music i listen to is Egyptian singers and it is produced in Egypt. You will rarely come across a Saudi singer.

Although Saudia Arabia doesnt produce the same type of music, we do have access to all the same music that American do. Its called itunes and youtube.

Tamer Hosny - Ana Mish Aref Atghaiar [English Subtitles]

What women wear and why they wear it.

One thing that I think causes a lot of controversy is what commonly is known as the veil. Some people think that it is oppressing to women and that they don’t have any rights. I am going to try to clear some things up as to what women wear, why they wear it and how they feel about it.

Women wear what is called hijab, which is any type of clothing that fits the seven conditions of women’s dress in Islam as stated in the Quran.

1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools).
2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it.
3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape / form of the body is not apparent.
4. The female clothing must not resemble the man's clothing.
5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non believing women.
6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention.
7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one's status in society.

The reasons for these strict rules are to protect the women from the lustful looks of men. She shouldn’t do anything to attract the opposite sex, and do anything to protect her modesty. Islamic women dress for God not for man.  

In the Quran it says “say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof.” The kicker is that it says the exact same thing for men and the seven conditions also apply to men.

Women in America are exploited everyday, female sexuality is used in advertising to attract buyers. Women are also faced with how the ideal woman is to look and dress. Over 230 women are raped every day in the U.S and many more are sexually assaulted.

I can’t speak for all women that wear hijab but I can speak for the majority of truly Muslim women, including my mother and sisters. They choose to wear the hijab because they want to dress for Allah, and to stay true to their faith, they have a lot of respect for themselves and feel more comfortable. Girls aren’t expected to wear hijab until they are 13. Most women in Saudi Arabia only cover their hair and not their whole face. Other Middle Eastern countries that are more conservative you will see women with their faces covered it depends on the culture.

Men's Traditional Wear in Saudi Arabia

Like any other country, men in Saudi Arabia wear jeans and aT-shirt, but they have their traditional clothing called a Thobe. The Thobe is made out of cotton and it is long sleves and it's down to the ankle. It bottons down the middle and also has a pair of white cotton pants that are worn underneath. Thobes are a more formal garmet and are worn in goverment offices, schools, and big events like weddings. Its designed to keep you cool in the heat of Saudi Arabia. Men also wear a Shumagg, which is a red and white checkered scarf worn over their heads. This is used to protect the head from direct sunlight and can also be used to cover the face and mouth during a sand storm.

It says in the Quran that men should be judged by their deeds and not by their appearance and that men should feel equal. This is why all men's traditional wear looks the same. Another reason is simple because men in Saudi Arabia have worn thobes for hundreds of years, its tradition.

( No Reservations ) in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia Part 1 of 5

No We Dont Just Eat Rice and Curry

One question that i get a lot from people is What types of food do we eat in Saudi Arabia with the misconception that all we eat is rice. This is sooo not true although rice is one of our staples we often times pair it with other things such as grilled chicken, and kabobs which is beef mixed with spices and then fried. My mother is an amazing cook and i garuantee what we eat for dinner isnt that far off from what you and your family eat. Sure we have spices that we use that are a little different, we like hummus and hot sauce a lot but you can also find just about every fast food restuarant known to man. Jeddah even has some of their own local restaurant chains, like Al baike, which has amazing fried chicken with even more amazing garlic sauce.

Anthony Bourdain did an episode of No Reservations in Saudi Arabia and actually did it justice. Although i do want to point out that not everyone eats camel, personally ive never tried it.
Check out the video! YouTube "no reservations in saudi arabia" it have 5 parts to it.

Saudi Arabia, Not just a desert

Full of Sand

When I tell people where I’m from, I often get a variety of responses about what people think of when they think of Saudi Arabia.  One that I have gotten more than once is “Isn't it just full of sand?” And the answer is quite frankly yes, Saudi Arabia is about 95% desert but that doesn’t mean that sand and desert is all Saudi has to offer or that people travel around the desert on camels. Saudi is full of extravagant cities, modern architecture, huge malls, beautiful coastline, resorts and neighborhoods where people park their cars in their driveways, not their camels. Don't get me wrong there are definitely camels in Saudi and people definitely ride them “for fun”. Saudi is a very traditional country and a lot of the practices date back to their ancestors. In the past camels were a good means of getting people and goods around the desert. They are still used today just not as widely as it used to be.

Saudi Arabia

 Hello guys, my name is Hussain Shata and I am from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country under the control of the royal family Al-Saud. The law in Saudi Arabia is based on the Holy Quran, which is the holy book. I feel today there are many misconceptions people have about my country, culture, and religion; I have decided to clear some things up or at least offer a different perspective and insight. Each week I will attempt to show people the real Saudi Arabia by discussing different topics such as religion, womens rights, culture, traditions, food and geography accompanied with videos and pictures. Followers should feel free to post quesitons and comments, and we can all learn something from each other.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe6rUkKRS_8&feature=fvw