The Arabs of Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lived on important ancient trade routes, as such the ancestors of today’s Saudi Arabians were influenced by varying civilisations as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, India, Persia and China.
The birth of the new faith of Islam was an important historical event. Inspired by their new religion, the Arabs expanded from Arabia, spreading Islam and the Arabic language as far west as the Atlantic Ocean and as Far East as central Asia.
Jeddah, the largest city in Saudi Arabia’s Western Province, on the shores of the Red Sea The origin of the city’s name poses an interesting dilemma for etymologists. Judah (pronounced Jiddah) in Arabic means seashore, which seems logical enough, but the school of thought which prefers Jaddah or grandmother, is given credence by the traditional location of Eve’s tomb within the city. Jeddah is, in fact, incorrect, but is popularly used by most non-Saudis living there.
Islam’s holiest city of Mecca (also known as Mekka or Makkah) is also located in Saudi Arabia It’s importance as a holy city for Muslims goes back to it being the birthplace of the founder of Islam, Prophet Mohammed. The most holy site within this holy city is the Great Mosque within which sits the Black Stone, a large black monolith that is central to worship during the Hajj. Saudi Arabia is closed to tourists and Mecca itself is off limits to all non-Muslims.
Saudi Arabian culture revolves almost entirely around Islam - two of Islam’s holiest sites are in the country, and it considers itself the birthplace of the religion. Every day, five times a day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques, which dot the country The Qur’an is Saudi Arabia’s constitution, and Shari’ah (Islamic law) is the foundation of its legal system.
Saudi Arabian dress is strongly symbolic, representing the people’s ties to the land, the past and to Islam. The predominantly loose, flowing garments reflect the practicalities of life in a desert country as well as Islam’s emphasis on keeping it all covered up. Women’s clothes are decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread and appliqués. Unfortunately, only their family gets to see them in all their glory, as Saudi women must wear a black cloak and veil (abaya) when they leave the house, to protect their modesty.
Islamic law forbids eating pig and drinking alcohol, and this law is followed pretty strictly throughout Saudi Arabia. Arabic unleavened bread, or khobz, is eaten with almost everything. The other staples are grilled chicken, felafel (deep-fried chickpea balls), shwarma (spit-cooked sliced lamb), and fuul (a paste of fava beans, garlic and lemon).
All the holidays in the country are Islamic. The big one is Ramadan, a month when everyone fasts between sunrise and sunset to conform to the fourth pillar of Islam. Ramadan is mandatory, even for tourists: if you are caught smoking, drinking or eating in public during this period, you can be sent to prison until the end of Ramadan. Ramadan ends with a huge feast, Eid al-Fitr, during which everyone prays together, visits friends and gives presents. Eid al-Adah, held around March, is the other big feast of the year, and marks the time when Muslims should make the pilgrimage to Mecca. The only non-religious festival is the Jinadriyah National Festival of folklore and culture, held every February.
One of Saudi Arabia’s most compelling folk rituals is the Ardha, the country’s national dance. This sword dance is based on ancient Bedouin traditions: drummers beat out a rhythm and a poet chants verses while sword-carrying men dance shoulder to shoulder. Al-sihba folk music has its origins in Arab Andalusia, a region of medieval Spain.
Saudi Arabia is not exactly a tourist destination. Desert drives, or ’wadi bashing’, or a desert picnic are the only past times. Although Saudi Arabia has plenty of coastlines, water sports are pretty much out: it’s hard to enjoy a dip when you have to keep covered from neck to ankle.