Arab woman: lifestyle, clothing, appearance

The way of life of Arab women has always aroused great interest among Europeans, as, however, everything unusual and outlandish. Representations about it among natives of the West often consists of prejudices and conjectures. One Arab woman sees a fairy princess bathing in luxury, another - a weak-willed slave, a locked house and forcibly clad in a veil. However, both romantic ideas have little to do with reality.

Woman in Islam

In Arab countries, the way of life of a woman largely determines Islam. Before God, it is equal to a man. A woman, like the stronger sex, must observe Ramadan, perform daily prayer, make donations. However, her social role is special.

The destination of women in Arab countries is marriage, motherhood and the upbringing of children. She is entrusted with the mission of the guardian of peace and religiosity of the home. A woman in Islam is a righteous spouse respectfully and respectfully related to her husband, who is ordered to take full responsibility for her and provide materially. A woman must obey him, be submissive and modest. To the role of mistress and wife, the mother prepares her since childhood.

The life of an Arab woman, however, is not limited only to home and household affairs. She has the right to study and work, if it does not interfere with family happiness.

How is an Arab woman dressed?

A woman in Arab countries is modest and chaste. When leaving the house, she can leave only her face and hands open. In this case, the apparel should not be transparent, tightly fit the chest, hips and waist or smell like perfume.

Arab clothing for women has a specific appearance. The main items of wardrobe, designed to protect the girl from prying eyes, there are several:

• A veil - a robe with long false sleeves and a net covering the eyes (chachvan);
• Chadra - a light veil that hides the whole figure of a woman with a head piece of muslin fabric;
• Abaya - a long dress with sleeves;
• Hijab - headpiece, leaving the face open;
• Nikab - a headdress with a narrow cut 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. The photo of this garment is presented below.

Dress code in Arab countries

From the fact in which country the woman lives, and from the customs reigning there, her appearance depends. The most strict dress code in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In these countries, girls and women move through the streets in black abaiyahs. This wardrobe item is usually decorated with beads, embroidery or rhinestones. By finishing the abay, you can easily determine the level of prosperity in her family. Often in these countries girls do not wear hijab, but niqab. Sometimes there are Arab women in burqa, although this wardrobe becomes less common with the years.

In Iran there are more liberal customs. Young girls prefer jeans, raincoats and kerchiefs. 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 be found only in large cities. In the province, women wear traditional hijab to hide their beauty from prying eyes.

Beautiful Arab women: stereotypes about appearance

Westerners have many stereotypes about how the Arabs look. In their view, they are necessarily curly, black-eyed, plump and have a chocolate skin. However, the appearance of these women does not fit completely under the above described pattern, because in their veins there flows both African, European, and Asian blood.

The large almond-shaped eyes of Arabs can be both bright blue and black. Mostly they are brown or greenish. Hair at them dark-brown, chocolate, black, and not only curly, but also straight, and wavy. Arabs rarely give preference to short haircuts. After all, long luxurious hair looks much more feminine.

The skin color of oriental beauties ranges from milky white to chocolate. The face of Arab women is usually oval, but in Egypt and Sudan it can be of an elongated shape. They are well built, and if they are inclined to fullness, then quite a bit.

Beauty is not for everyone

How Arab women look without a veil or other street clothes, only relatives, husband, children or girlfriends know. Behind the black spacious attire, often the most common European clothing is hidden: jeans, shorts, mini skirts or dresses. Arabs love to dress fashionably and stylishly. Like Western women, they enjoy showing their latest clothes, but only to close people.

At home, the Arab does not differ from the European. However, if her husband is visited by male guests, she must be covered. What an Arab woman looks like, even her closest friends should not see her, and she does not feel defective, contrary to speculation and the prejudice of the natives of the West. On the contrary, the woman is comfortable and comfortable, because she was taught to be modest from childhood. Abayas, hijabs, niqabs, hiding fashionable clothes, are not fetters, but those garments that are proudly worn by Arab women. Photo of the eastern beauty in one of them is presented below.

Arab Women: Education and Career

Shopping and domestic chores for Arab women are not a meaning of existence. They are engaged in self-development, study and work.

In progressive countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, women get a good education. After school, many enter the universities specially created for them, and then get a job. And women are engaged in the kind of activity that they really like to taste. They work in education, the police, occupy significant positions in government departments, and some have their own business.

Another country where Arabs can self-fulfilling is Algeria. There many women find themselves in jurisprudence, science, as well as in the field of health. In Algeria, women working as judges and lawyers are more numerous than men.

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 a tenth of the female population receives secondary education.

The government does not approve of the self-realization of the Arabs in the labor sphere. The main way to earn them in Sudan is agriculture. Workers there are strongly oppressed, not allowing them to use modern technology and paying scanty salaries.

However, in whatever country a woman lives, she spends the money she receives exclusively on herself, because according to the canons of Islam, the material care of the family is entirely on the shoulders of the spouse.

When do the Arabs marry?

Married an Arab woman goes on average at the age of 23 to 27 years, often after graduating from university. However, life situations are different. In many ways, the fate of a woman depends on the views that her family adhere to, and the customs in the country where she lives.

So, in Saudi Arabia there is no clearly defined minimum age for marriage. There, parents can marry a ten-year-old girl, but the marriage will be considered formal. This means that until puberty, she will live in the house of her father, and then move to her husband. In Saudi Arabia, a formal marriage is rarely practiced.

And in Yemen, this problem is quite acute. The country recorded a fairly high percentage of early marriages. They are often concluded if they are profitable from a financial point of view to the parents of a young bride.

Early marriage (up to 18 years), however, is not a trend of modernity, and in most progressive Arab states it is considered an exceptional phenomenon. There, parents are guided by the desires of their daughter, not their own.

Marriage in Arab countries

The search for the future spouse falls on the shoulders of the father of the family. If the candidate for the husband does not like the woman, then Islam gives her the right to refuse marriage. Whether it suits her or not, the girl decides during several meetings, which necessarily take place in the presence of relatives.

If a woman and a man agree to become spouses, they enter into a marriage contract (nikah). In one of its sections, the size of the dowry is indicated. As a mahr, as Muslims call it, a man gives a woman money or jewelry. She receives part of the dowry at the time of marriage, the rest - in case of death of the husband or divorce, which he himself initiated.

The contract is signed not by the bride, but by her representatives. Thus, a formal marriage is carried out. After nikyah, a wedding is to be held. Moreover, a solemn event can occur the next day or a year, and only after it young people start living together.

Married 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 the woman's concern is the upbringing of children and coziness in the home.

There she always has cleanliness and order, her husband is waiting for a hot dinner, and she looks well-groomed and neat. A woman tries to follow herself: visits beauty salons and gyms, buys beautiful clothes. The husband in return is obliged to give her signs of attention, to say compliments and give gifts. He regularly gives his wife money for shopping, but Arabs rarely go for food. Wearing heavy packages is not a woman's occupation. All work on the house, which the girl is difficult to perform, falls on the shoulders of the spouse.

On the street, the Arab goes out unaccompanied by her husband only with his permission. However, do not consider this rule as infringement of women's rights. On the Arab streets it is not always safe to walk alone, so the husband considers it his duty to protect his wife.

When is an Arab woman not protected?

The Arab does not look at other men. This behavior can disgrace her. And the more so the woman will never change her husband, otherwise she will become a sinner and will be punished for adultery. Women in the United Arab Emirates, for example, may be imprisoned for treason, and in Saudi Arabia, be a victim of beating stones. In Jordan, despite the liberal mores, the so-called honor killings are practiced. Sharia courts refer to the men who committed them, indulgently. The murder itself is considered his "personal affair".

In Arab countries, as elsewhere, the problem of sexual violence against women is acute. The Arab, over whom the man has outraged, as a rule, does not report the incident to the law enforcement bodies. After all, it can be condemned for adultery.

Physical and psychological violence in the family is especially prevalent in Iraq. And unworthy behavior easily gets off the hands of a man. Only in some countries, in particular in Saudi Arabia, criminal punishment is provided for beating a woman.

Is polygamy a problem?

A resident of Europe is appalled not only by the issue of violence, but also by polygamy, which is officially permitted in all Arab countries. How can a woman tolerate such lawlessness?

In reality, this problem practically does not exist. To take another girl's wife, it is necessary to obtain the consent of his real wife. Far from every Arab woman, even considering her upbringing, agrees with this state of affairs.

In principle, their privilege to have several wives of a man is rarely used. It's too expensive. After all, the conditions for keeping all wives must be the same. If you do not comply with this rule, then the spouse, which the husband infringes materially, can file for divorce, and the court will end with her victory.

Rights of an Arab woman in divorce

Arab women are financially protected from all hardships that can happen to them. She can lose everything only in the event of a divorce, which will dare of her own free will and without good reason.

To part with a spouse without losing mahr, a woman can only if he does not provide it properly financially, disappeared, sits in prison, is mentally ill or childless. The reason that a European 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 the former spouse.

Perhaps, it is these rules that made divorce an extremely rare phenomenon in the Arab world. After all, in fact, it is disadvantageous for both spouses. But if it does happen, then the woman can marry again. This right was given to Islam.

Finally

The life of Arab women is so complex and unequal. It has special laws and rules, which, perhaps, are not always fair, but they have the right to exist. In any case, the Arabs themselves perceive them as a reality.