The way of life of Arab women has always aroused great interest among Europeans, as, indeed, everything unusual and outlandish. The ideas about him among the natives of the West are often made up of prejudices and conjectures. For some, an Arab woman is seen as a fabulous princess bathing in luxury, for others as a weak-willed slave, locked at home and forcibly dressed in a veil. However, both romantic ideas have little to do with reality.
Woman in Islam
In the Arab countries, the way of life of a woman is largely determined by Islam. Before God, she is equal to a man. A woman, like the representatives of the stronger sex, is obliged to observe Ramadan, perform daily prayers, and make donations. However, her social role is special.
The purpose of a woman in Arab countries is marriage, motherhood and raising children. She is entrusted with the mission of the keeper of peace and religiosity of the hearth. A woman in Islam is a righteous spouse, respectful and respectful of her husband, who is ordered to take full responsibility for her and provide financially. A woman should obey him, be submissive and modest. Her mother has been preparing her for the role of a mistress and wife since childhood.
Arab lifeWomen, however, are not limited only to the house and household chores. She has the right to study and work, if this does not interfere with family happiness.
How does an Arab woman dress?
A woman in Arab countries is modest and chaste. Leaving the house, she can leave open only her face and hands. At the same time, the attire should not be transparent, tightly fit the chest, hips and waist, or smell of perfume.
Arab clothing for women has a specific look. There are several basic wardrobe items designed to protect a girl from prying eyes:
- burqa - a dressing gown with long false sleeves and a mesh covering the eyes (chachvan);
- veil - a light veil that completely hides the figure of a woman with a head made of muslin fabric;
- abaya - long dress with sleeves;
- hijab - a headdress that leaves the face open;
- niqab - a headdress with a narrow slit for the eyes.
It is worth noting that the hijab is also called any clothing that covers the body from head to toe, which is traditionally worn on the street by Arab women. A photo of this attire is presented below.
Dress code in Arab countries
The country in which a woman lives, and the customs prevailing there, depends on her appearance. The strictest dress code in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In these countries, girls and women move around the streets in black abayas. This wardrobe item is usually decorated with beads, embroidery or rhinestones. By finishing the abaya, you can easilydetermine the level of we alth in her family. Often in these countries, girls do not wear a hijab, but a niqab. Sometimes there are Arab women in the veil, although this wardrobe item has become less and less common over the years.
More freedoms reign in Iran. Young girls prefer jeans, raincoats and scarves. Especially religious ladies wear the veil no matter what.
In liberal states like Tunisia, Kuwait or Jordan, many women are not covered at all. They look like typical Europeans. However, this phenomenon can be found only in large cities. In the provinces, women wear the traditional hijab to hide their beauty from prying eyes.
Beautiful Arab women: appearance stereotypes
Westerners have a lot of stereotypes about what Arab women look like. In their view, they are necessarily curly, black-eyed, plump and have chocolate skin. However, the appearance of these women does not fully fit the above pattern, since African, European, and Asian blood flows in their veins.
The Arab woman's large almond-shaped eyes can be both bright blue and black. Mostly they are brown or greenish. Their hair is dark blond, chocolate, black, and not only curly, but also straight and wavy. Arab women rarely prefer short haircuts. After all, long luxurious hair looks much more feminine.
Oriental beauties' skin color ranges from milky white to chocolate. The face of Arab women is usually oval, but in Egypt and Sudan it canbe elongated. They are well built, and if they are prone to fullness, then quite a bit.
Beauty is not for everyone
What Arab women look like without a veil or other street clothes, only relatives, husband, children or girlfriends know. Behind the black spacious robes, the most common European clothes are often hidden: jeans, shorts, mini-skirts or dresses. Arab women love to dress fashionably and stylishly. Like Western women, they enjoy showing off their latest clothes, but only to close people.
At home, an Arab is no different from a European. However, if male guests come to her husband, she must cover herself. What an Arab woman looks like, even the closest friends of her husband should not see, and she, contrary to the speculation and prejudice of the natives of the West, does not feel flawed at all. On the contrary, a woman is comfortable and convenient, because she was taught to be modest from childhood. Abayas, hijabs, niqabs that hide fashionable outfits are not fetters, but those items of clothing that Arab women wear with pride. A photo of an oriental beauty in one of them is presented below.
Arab women: education and careers
Shopping and household chores for Arab women are not the raison d'etre. They are engaged in self-development, study and work.
In progressive countries like the UAE, women get a good education. After school, many enter universities created specifically for them, and then get a job. Moreover, women are engaged in the type of activity that they really like. They work in education, in the police, hold significant positions in government departments, and some have their own business.
Algeria is another country where Arab women can fulfill their potential. There, many of the fair sex find themselves in jurisprudence, science, and also in the field of he althcare. There are more women than men in Algeria as judges and lawyers.
Problems of self-realization
However, not every Arab country can provide such attractive conditions for training and professional development.
In Sudan, the quality of education still leaves much to be desired. In schools, girls are taught only the basics of writing, reading and arithmetic. Only one tenth of the female population receives secondary education.
The government does not approve of the self-realization of Arab women in the labor sphere. The main way they earn money in Sudan is agriculture. Workers there are severely harassed, not allowing them to use modern technology and paying meager salaries.
However, in whatever country a woman lives, she spends the money received exclusively on herself, because, according to the canons of Islam, the material care of the family lies entirely on the shoulders of the spouse.
When do Arab women get married?
An Arab woman marries on average between the ages of 23 and 27, often after graduating from university. However, life situations are different. In many ways, the fate of a woman depends on the views that she adheres to.family, and mores in the country where she lives.
Thus, in Saudi Arabia there is no clearly defined minimum age for marriage. There, parents can also marry a ten-year-old girl, but the marriage will be considered formal. This means that until puberty she will live in her father's house and then move in with her husband. In Saudi Arabia, formal marriage is rare.
And in Yemen, this problem is quite acute. The country recorded a fairly high percentage of early marriages. Often they are concluded if they are financially beneficial to the parents of the young bride.
Early marriage (before 18), however, is not a trend of our time, and in most progressive Arab states is considered an exceptional phenomenon. There, parents are guided by the desires of their daughter, and not by their own benefits.
Marriage in Arab countries
The search for a future spouse falls on the shoulders of the father of the family. If a woman does not like the candidate for husband, then Islam gives her the right to refuse marriage. Whether he suits her or not, the girl decides during several meetings, which must be held in the presence of relatives.
If a woman and a man agree to become spouses, they enter into a marriage contract (nikah). One of its sections indicates the size of the dowry. As a mahr, as the Muslims call it, a man gives money or jewelry to a woman. Part of the dowry she receives at the time of marriage, the rest - in the event of the death of her husband or a divorce, which he himselfinitiated.
The contract is signed not by the bride, but by her representatives. Thus, the formal conclusion of marriage is carried out. After nikah, the wedding should take place. Moreover, a solemn event can occur the next day or a year later, and only after it do young people begin to live together.
Marriage life
In marriage, an Arab woman is soft and compliant. She does not contradict her husband and does not enter into discussions with him, but she actively participates in the discussion of important issues. All responsible decisions are made by a man, because he is the head of the family, and a woman's concern is raising children and comfort at home.
There she always has cleanliness and order, her wife is waiting for a hot dinner, and she herself looks well-groomed and tidy. A woman tries to take care of herself: she visits beauty salons and gyms, buys beautiful clothes. In return, the husband is obliged to show her signs of attention, give compliments and give gifts. He regularly gives his wife money for shopping, but the Arab woman rarely goes for groceries. Carrying heavy bags is not a woman's occupation. All housework, which is difficult for a girl to do, falls on the shoulders of her husband.
An Arab woman goes out into the street unaccompanied by her husband only with his permission. However, this rule should not be considered as an infringement of the rights of a woman. It is not always safe to walk alone on the Arab streets, so the husband considers it his duty to protect his wife.
When is an Arab woman not protected?
Arab does not glance at other men. Such behavior can shame her. And even more so a womanshe will never cheat on her husband, otherwise she will become a sinner and will be punished for adultery. Women in the United Arab Emirates, for example, can go to jail for treason, and in Saudi Arabia they can be stoned. In Jordan, despite liberal morals, so-called honor killings are practiced. Sharia courts treat men who commit them with indulgence. The murder itself is considered his "private matter".
In Arab countries, more than anywhere else, the problem of sexual violence against women is acute. An Arab woman who has been abused by a man, as a rule, does not report the incident to law enforcement agencies. After all, she can be convicted of adultery.
Physical and psychological domestic violence is especially prevalent in Iraq. Moreover, unworthy behavior easily gets away with a man. Only a few countries, notably Saudi Arabia, criminalize beating a woman.
Is polygamy a problem?
A resident of Europe is horrified not only by the issue of violence, but also by polygamy, which is officially allowed in all Arab countries. How can a woman endure such chaos?
In reality, this problem practically does not exist. To marry another girl, you must obtain the consent of your real wife. Not every Arab woman, even considering her upbringing, will agree with this state of affairs.
Men, in principle, rarely use their privilege to have several wives. It's too costly. After all, the conditions of detention of all wives should be the same. If you don't follow this rule,then the wife, whom her husband infringes financially, can file for divorce, and the court will end in her victory.
Arab women's rights in divorce
Arab women are financially secure from all the hardships that may befall them. She can lose everything only in the event of a divorce, which she ventures of her own free will and without good reason.
A woman can part with her husband without losing mahr only if he does not properly provide for her financially, has disappeared, is in prison, is mentally ill or childless. The reason why a European woman can divorce her husband, for example, because of a lack of love, is considered disrespectful for a Muslim woman. In this case, the woman is deprived of all compensation, and her children, upon reaching a certain age, are transferred to the upbringing of her ex-spouse.
Perhaps it was these rules that made divorce extremely rare in the Arab world. After all, in fact, it is disadvantageous to both spouses. But if it still happened, then the woman can remarry. Islam gave her this right.
In closing
The life of Arab women is so complex and ambiguous. It has special laws and rules, which may not always be fair, but they have the right to exist. In any case, the Arab women themselves take them for granted.
