Islamic customs outlined for Kiwis

Press, 18 October 1980, Page 25

Islamic customs outlined for Kiwis

PA Auckland New Zealanders make fools of themselves and embarrass their hosts when they arrive in -’.e Middle East with misconceptions about Arab customs and beliefts, according to the director of the Pan-Arab Distribution Company, Mr Gamal Mubarek. He said they would not have been helped by a Press Association report in “The Press” of October 16 which quoted from the magazine of the Export Institute of New Zea! id regarding Arab customs. Mr Mubarek criticised the report point by point, giving what he said were international rules of conduct and customs which were governed by the Islamic faith. He said:

— Of eating: Arabs eat mainly with the right hand because they are right-handed — eating vrilh the left is not -onsidered rude. According to tradition, a host must offer generous amounts of food, but this should not compel you to eat all of it. Pelching should be

done with discretion; ii is no longer a sign of ap. sedation.

— Of visiting a home: You do not need to remove your shoes before entering. The only place where bare feet are required is in the Mosque as a sign of respect. Your host may wish to give you a souvenir from his house, but „au should not feel obliged to* take. it. If you do and then attempt to give him something in return you would be robb!ng him of his grace — according to Islam, treasures given will be received in Heaven. •

— Of smoking: Smoking a hookah is not obligatory. A host would be unlikely to offer it to Lis guest for fear of dcnar'.tig his or her health. The smoke is a mixture of thick molasses and strong tobacco heated by burning embers, and to the unintiated it could cause considerable distress; it would be like “taking a hot ember from the fire and sucking on it.” — Of women: Flattery is welcome. The finest compliment you can pay

an Arab man is to tell him what a beautiful family he has.

f’r Mubarek said that before taking off your shirt or folding your legs, it is considered polite to ask; pointing a toe at an Arab is not considered an insult.

“Thei main concern for a host in the Middle East and throughout the w Id is the comfort of his guest,” he said. “The report seems to be a direct insult e-1 deliberatley misleading. We do not sniff or smell people. It seems so ludicrous it makes me laush.” Privacy, said Mr Mubarek, was an essential part of the Middle East tr.-.di-tion. “It becomes more intense with the strength of your faith. In the M : d ”e East you would not expect to be asked where you come from; what you do, and so on, yet in the West those types of prying questions are asked as a matter of course.”

“Arab people are sophisticated enoug’: to make allowances for Westerners,” he said.