The way of life of Arab women has always been of great interest to Europeans, as, however, is all unusual and outlandish. The natives of the West often have ideas about it from prejudice and speculation. One sees an Arab woman as a fairytale princess, bathing in luxury, the other as a limp slave, locked in a house and forcibly dressed in a burqa. However, both romantic ideas have little to do with reality.
Woman in islam
In Arab countries, the lifestyle of women is largely determined by Islam. Before God, she is equal to a man. A woman, like representatives of the stronger sex, is obliged to observe ramadan, perform daily prayers, make donations. However, her social role is special.
The purpose of women in the Arab countries is marriage, motherhood and parenting. It is entrusted with the mission of the guardian of peace and religiosity of the hearth. The woman in Islam is a righteous spouse respectfully and respectfully treating her husband, who is ordered to take full responsibility for her and provide financially. A woman must obey him, be humble and modest. The mother has been preparing her for the role of mistress and wife since childhood.
The life of an Arab woman, however, is not limited only to home 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 home, she can only leave her face and hands open. At the same time, the robe should not be transparent, tightly fit the chest, hips and waist or smell of perfume.
Arab clothing for women has a specific appearance. The main wardrobe items designed to protect the girl from prying eyes, there are several:
- paranja — a robe with long false sleeves and a net covering his eyes (chachwan);
- chadra - a light veil that completely hides the figure of a woman with a muslin head;
- abaya - a long dress with sleeves;
- hijab - a headdress that leaves a person open;
- nikab - a headpiece with a narrow slot for the eyes.
It is worth noting that hijab is also called any clothing covering the body from head to toe, which is traditionally worn by Arab women on the street. A photo of this attire is presented below.
Dress code in Arab countries
From what country a woman lives in, and from the morals prevailing there, her appearance depends. The most stringent dress code in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In these countries, girls and women roam the streets in black abayas. This wardrobe item is usually decorated with beads, embroidery or rhinestones. According to the abaya decoration, one can easily determine the level of wealth in her family. Often in these countries, girls don’t wear a hijab, but a niqab. Sometimes Arab women in burqa are found, although this wardrobe item has become less and less common over the years.
In Iran, more free morals reign. Young girls prefer jeans, raincoats and scarves. Especially religious ladies, in spite of everything, wear a veil.
In liberal states such as Tunisia, Kuwait or Jordan, many women are not covered at all. They look like typical Europeans. However, this phenomenon can only be found in large cities. In the province, women wear a traditional hijab to hide their beauty from prying eyes.
Beautiful Arab women: stereotypes about appearance
The inhabitants of the West have developed a lot of stereotypes about how Arab women look. 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 pattern described above, as African, European, and Asian blood flows in their veins.
Arab's large almond-shaped eyes can be either bright blue or black. Mostly they are brown or greenish. Their hair is light brown, 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.
The color of the skin in oriental beauties varies from milky white to chocolate. The face of Arab women is usually oval, but in Egypt and Sudan it can be 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 burqa or other street clothes, only relatives, husband, children or friends know. Black spacious robes often hide the most common European clothes: jeans, shorts, miniskirts or dresses. Arab women like to dress fashionably and stylishly. Like Western women, it gives them pleasure to show off their latest new things, but only to loved ones.
At home, an Arab woman is no different from a European. However, if male guests come to her husband, she is required to cover herself. What does an Arab woman look like, even her husband’s closest friends should not see, and she, contrary to speculation and prejudice of the natives of the West, does not at all feel flawed. On the contrary, a woman is comfortable and convenient, because she was taught to be humble from childhood. Abayas, hijabs, niqabs hiding fashionable clothes are not shackles, but those items of clothing that Arab women proudly wear. A photo of the eastern beauty in one of them is presented below.
Arab women: education and career
Shopping and household chores for Arab women are not the meaning of existence. They are engaged in self-development, study and work.
In progressive countries such as the UAE, women receive a good education. After school, many go to 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 the field of education, in the police, hold significant posts in government departments, and some have their own business.
Another country where Arab women can fulfill themselves is Algeria. There, many representatives of the fair sex find themselves in jurisprudence, science, as well as in the field of healthcare. In Algeria, there are more women working as judges and lawyers than men.
Self-realization issues
However, not every Arab country can provide such attractive conditions for training and professional development.
In Sudan, the quality of education is still poor. In girls' schools, they teach only the basics of writing, reading and arithmetic. Only a tenth of the female population receives secondary education.
The government does not approve of the self-realization of Arab women in the labor sector. The main way to earn money in Sudan is through agriculture. Workers there are greatly oppressed, not allowing them to use modern technology and paying meager salaries.
However, in whatever country a woman lives, she spends the money exclusively on herself, because, according to the canons of Islam, material care for the family rests entirely with the spouse.
When do arab women get married?
An Arab woman marries on average between 23 and 27 years old, often after graduation. However, life situations are different. In many ways, the fate of a woman depends on the views held by her family and the mores in the country where she lives.
So, in Saudi Arabia there is no clearly defined minimum age for marriage. There, parents can also marry a ten-year-old girl, but marriage will be considered formal. This means that until puberty she will live in her father’s house and then move to her husband. In Saudi Arabia, formal marriage is rarely practiced.
But 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 a young bride.
Early marriage (up to 18 years), however, is not a modern trend, and in most progressive Arab states it is considered an exceptional phenomenon. There, parents are guided by the wishes of their daughter, and not by their own benefits.
Marriage in Arab Countries
The search for a future spouse rests on the shoulders of the father of the family. If a woman does not like the candidate for husbands, then Islam gives her the right to refuse marriage. Whether he suits her or not, the girl decides over several meetings, which are necessarily held in the presence of relatives.
If a woman and a man agree to become spouses, they enter into a marriage contract (nickname). One of its sections indicates the size of the dowry. As a mahr, as Muslims call him, a man gives a woman money or jewelry. She receives part of the dowry during marriage, the rest - in the event of the death of her husband or divorce, which he himself initiated.
The contract is signed not by the bride, but by her representatives. Thus, formal marriage is carried out. After Nikakh, a wedding should take place. Moreover, a solemn event can occur the next day or a year later, and only after it young people begin to live together.
Married life
In marriage, an Arab woman is soft and pliable. She does not reread to her husband and does not enter into discussions with him, however, she actively participates in the discussion of important issues. All responsible decisions are made by the man, because he is the head of the family, and the woman's concern is raising children and comfort in the home.
There she always has cleanliness and order, her husband is waiting for a hot dinner, and she herself looks well-groomed and neat. A woman tries to take care of herself: visits beauty salons and gyms, buys beautiful clothes. In return, the husband is obliged to show her signs of attention, to compliment 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 female occupation. All housework, which is difficult for a girl to do, rests with the spouse.
An arab woman enters the street unaccompanied by her husband only with his permission. However, you should not consider this rule as a violation of the rights of women. 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 unprotected?
Arab does not cast glances toward other men. Such behavior may disgrace her. Moreover, a woman 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 may become victims of stoning. In Jordan, despite liberal morals, so-called honor killings are practiced. Shariah courts treat the men who committed them condescendingly. The murder itself is considered his "personal affair."
In Arab countries, as nowhere else, the problem of sexual violence against women is acute. An Arab woman who was abused by a man, as a rule, does not report the incident to law enforcement agencies. After all, she may be convicted of adultery.
Physical and psychological domestic violence is especially common in Iraq. Moreover, misbehavior easily gets away with a man. Only in some countries, in particular in Saudi Arabia, is criminal punishment for beating a woman.
Is polygamy a problem?
The inhabitants of Europe are horrified not only by the issue of violence, but also by polygamy, which is officially permitted 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 of having several wives. It is too expensive. After all, the conditions of detention of all wives should be the same. If this rule is not observed, then the spouse, which the husband infringes financially, can file for divorce, and the court will end in her victory.
Arab woman's rights in divorce
Arab women are financially protected from all the hardships that may happen to them. She can lose everything only in the event of a divorce, which she dares of her own free will and without good reason.
A woman can part with her spouse without losing makhr only if he does not provide it properly financially, has disappeared, is in prison, is mentally ill or childless. The reason a European can divorce her husband, for example, because of a lack of love, is considered disrespectful to a Muslim woman. In this case, the woman loses all compensation, and her children, upon reaching a certain age, are transferred to the education of the former spouse.
Perhaps it was precisely these rules that made divorce an extremely rare occurrence in the Arab world. After all, in fact, it is disadvantageous to both spouses. But if it did happen, then a woman can marry again. This right was given to her by Islam.
Finally
The life of Arab women is so complex and inappropriate. It has special laws and rules that may not always be fair, but they have the right to exist. In any case, the Arabs themselves take them for granted.