Understanding the Arab Culture: A Practical Cross-cultural Guide to Working in the Arab World (Working With Other Cultures) by Jehad Al-Omari

Author:Jehad Al-Omari
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Social Science, Business, Business travel, Travel, Special Interest, Arab, Business Etiquette, Arab countries, National characteristics, Business & Economics, Customs & Traditions
ISBN: 9781845282004
Publisher: How To Books Ltd
Published: 2008-08-19T02:59:17.689000+00:00

Values and Attitudes

THE POSITION OF HOSPITALITY

Hospitality in the Arab culture can be described as the mother of all virtues, the cornerstone of all social interactions and the raison d’eˆ tre for many Arabs. To describe someone as being generous is truly the highest praise you can give that person. To the Arab mind, hospitality is not a luxury, or something that we can extend selectively but it is a must, whether the guest is a friend or foe, whether they arrive announced or suddenly, early or late. The word for hospitality in Arabic is Karam whilst the word for honour is Karaameh. Notice that the two words are linked to indicate the importance of hospitality to one’s personal integrity and standing in society. In other words, hospitality is a way of life.

Arab hospitality is famous the world over due to its lavishness and the abundance of food that is presented. Whilst this is important, the essence of Arab hospitality lies elsewhere. True hospitality is when it is offered to a complete stranger, or to a foe, somebody who arrives unexpectedly, out of the blue so to speak. True hospitality is also associated with spontaneity, here and now, not later. Indeed, Arabs are great admirers of spontaneity whether it is related to hospitality, humour or even poetry. Arabs

110

are also very particular about timing when it comes to personal gestures or hospitality.

True spontaneity is demonstrated when and if you compliment an Arab over a personal item such as a tie or an expensive watch. The Arab’s most natural reaction is to offer it to you, there and then, on the spot. This offer can be simply a courteous offer which you should decline but it can equally be a genuine offer which will be repeated and you must accept. In some cases, and when the item is a very expensive one, the offer is made so as to say I trust you enough with this expensive item to the extent that I know that you will not accept it no matter how high the temptation is. Another dimension of this spontaneous hospitality is that Arabs like to give you something that is truly and genuinely personal and thus it has a higher value.

If you happen to accept an item from an Arab in the spirit of hospitality, the concept of timing means that you do not reciprocate immediately but you wait for the right timing or opportunity. This right timing may not be for weeks or months, but when you reciprocate, it has also to be spontaneous so as to mean that it has come from the heart and not from a shop. The element of timing also manifests itself when you are invited to a meal, where an Arab is more likely to wait for the perfect moment before the meal is laid down rather than wait for the appointed time and lay the meal down. This subtle difference between time and timing is critical in cross-cultural terms.

The guest-host relationship in the Arab world is also of great importance.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.