About Saudi Arabia

Basic Information

Overview

The four cornerstones of Saudi Arabian culture

Historically, then, Saudi culture has rested on four pillars:

• Patriarchy. The men in Saudi families—fathers, brothers, and husbands—act as the guardians of the family honor and control the decision-making. Thus, the men protect the tribe and honour guests, and the women are expected to be compliant and display modesty. Recently, however, gender norms and roles have been shifting so that more Saudi women are receiving an education and entering the professional workforce. 
• Generosity and hospitality. Honouring guests is a fundamental aspect of Saudi culture. Thus, the symbol of fires shining from Bedouins tents represents an ancient tradition of helping those in need and honouring visitors. 
• Oral culture. The nomadic Arabs, in their constant travels, developed an oral culture based on memorized proverbs, stories, and poems. Contemporary Saudis pride themselves on their use of the Arabic language and are great storytellers. Accordingly, poetry is the most popular art among Saudis, who delight in writing and reciting it, and they use storytelling and metaphors constantly in their daily discourse. 
• Genealogy and status. Saudis are proud of their ancestors and kinship relationships, as is reflected in the use bin or ibn, “son of” in personal names and al to indicate the family and clan. Likewise, Saudis are careful to use the appropriate titles when addressing one another formally, such as sheikh to refer to the elder or wise man who leads the tribe [3]
   

When in Saudi Arabia

• Avoid photographing anyone without asking permission, especially women.
• Avoid situations where you may find yourself alone with a member of the opposite gender, for instance, riding in elevators.
• The concept of losing face is very strong in Saudi culture, so avoid conflict and disagreements in public.
• Elders are highly respected in Saudi culture; thus, it is customary to stand when an older person enters the room.
• Saudis consider exposing the soles of the feet, whether bare or with shoes on, to be very offensive and embarrassing.
• Always use the right hand (or wrist) to shake hands, eat, wave, or handle things since the left hand is considered unclean. 
• Avoid wearing tight clothes, and try to keep your legs, arms, and shoulders covered. Women in certain areas need to cover their hair.

Good to know

• curb the power of the religious police to dictate women’s dress, prayer-time closures, and the mingling of men and women;
• end the decades-long ban on movie theatres;
• lift the ban on women driving cars;
• allow music to be played in restaurants and public places; and
• allow Saudi women to travel freely and otherwise weaken the male guardianship system.

Body language

• Handshaking is an important gesture during introductions and business meetings. Again, always use the right hand for this purpose. Handshaking is commonly accompanied by the phrase Assalam Alaikum, meaning “may peace be upon you, to which the proper reply is wa Alaikum as-salam, “and peace be upon you [too].”
• Avoid any physical contact with persons of the opposite gender, for instance, handshaking. Instead, greet them verbally and with a nod. 
• Saudis may complement handshaking by placing the right hand over the heart to express appreciation of another’s presence. This gesture can also be used to greet a person of the opposite gender and, recently, has become a widely used substitute for physical contact during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• It is common for close friends of the same gender to kiss on the cheeks. Saudi men also commonly greet close friends by touching noses, a gesture indicating trust and respect. 
• Again, titles are important in Saudi culture, especially for elders. So, never address an older person by their first name. 

Dress code