Of course, Dubai is multifaceted and multilayered. And if you want, you can easily organize your stay here in such a way that you will not feel the difference between the Arab East and some Singapore, spending all your time in a beer lovers' club and on a hotel beach. But, basking in this calm atmosphere, one fine day you will open a newspaper and read: “A Dubai court sentenced an Australian and a German woman to prison for kissing on the street. The prosecutor demanded three years in prison, but the court limited itself to six months.” And then you will understand that you would like to learn - and more! - about this strange world, whose unfamiliar contours previously seemed like mere exoticism.
Foreigners are accustomed to blaming Islam for everything that they do not like in the Arab world. In relation to other Muslim peoples this might be fair, but not in relation to the inhabitants of Arabia: after all, they invented Islam themselves. Therefore, one can say that the traditional culture on these shores is based on the observance of the rules set forth in the Koran and in the hadiths (that is, traditions about the life of the Prophet Muhammad), or one can argue that it rests on the age-old traditions of Arabian society. Because, I repeat, the Koran, Islam, and the hadiths are all local natives. So when they tell you: Islam teaches hospitality, answer: nonsense, hospitality is a traditional Bedouin trait that was inherent in the local inhabitants even before they became Muslims.
By the way, the notorious Sharia (a set of norms and rules of conduct), observance of which leads a Muslim straight to paradise and about which so much is said nowadays, is developed by each Muslim society separately. Of course, this happens on the basis of the Koran, the hadiths, and the writings of religious authorities. Nevertheless, differences exist. Fortunately, a traveler only needs to take into account some general requirements.
Yes, alas, Islam, which arose in the harsh environment of nomads, controls the way of life of its adherents more strictly than Christianity. Some religions prefer to focus more on the relationship between man and God, while Islam likes to regulate the behavior of a Muslim in everyday life. However, of the five main duties of a believing Muslim (recognition of the confession of faith formula: there is no god but Allah, five daily prayers, payment of a tax in favor of the community, fasting, and pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca and Medina), only two can affect the fate of a traveler - fasting and prayer.
In Dubai, shops closed for one hour will remind you that the time for the main - Friday noon - prayer has come. Moreover, a well-bred person should know that it is not customary to pass in front of a praying Muslim (who may spread his rug anywhere, even in the middle of the street), nor to hover in front of him - for he is addressing not you, but Allah.
Unfortunately, in Dubai you will not be able to observe congregational prayer. Even an attempt to look into a mosque may cause disapproval.
It seems that everyone has already heard about Ramadan. The man who brought Islam to our world - the real-life Muhammad from the Quraysh tribe - in 610, on one of the nights of that month of the lunar Arabic calendar, received the first revelations from God. So that his followers would not forget the significant event, Muhammad ordered them to fast for the entire month of Ramadan. But how can a Bedouin fast, one who lives on dates, milk, and bread? Indeed, the feasts with whole roasted sheep that come to mind when sultry Arabia is mentioned were available to the Arabs before the advent of petrodollars only on major holidays. What kind of fast could Muhammad offer to his compatriots, whose diet already resembled a strict diet? And he came up with: he forbade eating during daylight hours. And also - forbade drinking. And also - inhaling incense. And also engaging in intimate relations between the sexes. Later, religious authorities had to resolve some additional questions that the prophet had left open for various reasons; smoking and chewing gum were forbidden.
The following are exempt from fasting during Ramadan: the sick, pregnant and nursing women, children under ten, warriors conducting military operations, and travelers. Foreigners, of course, are also not forced to fast. So you may eat and drink during the day if the local population does not see you. This can be done either in your room or in restaurants: in tourist hotels, as a rule, something is working. But you can say goodbye to the dream of alcohol: until the evening, nowhere will it be served to you. But when at dusk the muezzin's cry sounds, signifying iftar (the beginning of breaking the fast), how pleasant it will be to merge in festive ecstasy with the people of Dubai!
During the fast, the entire way of Muslim life changes. Judge for yourself: in the morning you need to get up before dawn in order to have breakfast before the moment when the muezzin's call announces imsak - the beginning of daily abstinence. In the afternoon, you need to get some sleep, because at night you will not be able to do this fully: after a hearty dinner (and throughout the month the food is prepared tasty and varied), a joyful crowd fills the streets. During Ramadan, it is customary to visit people (though music and entertainment are forbidden) and to give gifts to family members. Therefore, shops open later in the morning than usual and work until midnight and longer. However, during Ramadan the working hours of institutions, museums, and other establishments also change. But perhaps only during Ramadan can you, in the tourist paradise of Dubai, feel on your own skin what a different way of life is. And for this you do not even need to leave the hotel. Because hotels set up so-called Ramadan tents, where you can try Arabic food and drink strong Arabic coffee.
Ramadan ends with the festival of breaking the fast, Eid al-Fitr (Muslims in our country call it Uraza Bayram), which lasts the first three days of the next lunar month of Shawwal. If you are in Dubai not as an ordinary fleeting tourist but, say, renting an apartment or villa, keep in mind that on the first day of the holiday it is customary to exchange festive dishes with neighbors.
However, the biggest holiday for Muslims comes almost 50 days after the end of Ramadan. The feast of sacrifice, or Eid al-Adha (in our terms, Kurban Bayram), goes back to the biblical legend of Abraham (in the Islamic version, Ibrahim), ready to sacrifice his son Isaac (Ishmael) to God. In memory of God's mercy, who allowed Ibrahim to replace his son with a lamb, every Muslim must sacrifice a sheep, a ram, or a camel. The poor are allowed to slaughter a chicken. Of course, today not all city dwellers observe this rite, and if they do, the animals die behind the high fences of villas. So, unlike some other Muslim countries, where one can be entertained by the spectacle of sheep markets (and in some places sacrificial blood even flows through the streets), for tourists the three-day holiday in Dubai passes without exotic "frills."
By the way, it is time to finally clarify the issue of alcohol - one of the most acute in the relations between our travelers and local public morality. As is widely known, the Prophet Muhammad forbade the consumption of intoxicating beverages. However, here is the problem: tourists from countries not covered by Islam cannot imagine a vacation without forbidden drinks. Dubai residents had to compromise, which is formulated as follows: drink so that we do not see it. Alcohol is served in restaurants and bars at hotels, yacht and golf clubs, and other tourist facilities. However, if you are caught drinking alcohol on the street, in a car, or even simply carrying an open bottle, you fall under Article 313 of the local criminal code and are subject either to a fine of two thousand dirhams (do not be scared - that is only $600) or to imprisonment for up to one month in a comfortable Dubai prison. In less civilized Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, they would have given you 30 lashes and deported you to your homeland.
You will say: it is unclear what is worse - exposing your back or opening your wallet. Then follow the rules. You would surely be outraged if you met an outright drug addict on the street of your hometown. In the eyes of a devout Muslim, your drunken person is no better than that very drug addict. The more grand is the feat of Dubai residents, who tolerate on their land a mass of dens called "restaurant," "bar," "cocktail bar," "pub," "wine bar," "jazz club," "karaoke bar," "nightclub," and so on, where foreigners can freely indulge in the vile vice of alcohol consumption, and then return with impunity in comfortable taxis to their cozy hotels.
Besides alcohol, the prophet also forbade gambling. Therefore, do not look for casinos in Dubai or online poker over the Internet in your hotel room. Before Islam, by the way, Bedouins were passionate lovers of gambling. One of them was this: an arrowhead was buried in a pile of sand, and each player grabbed and raked away his share of the pile; the one who found the arrowhead won.
So, we agreed not to blame everything on Islam. And we did the right thing, because some rules of good behavior in Dubai are purely local in origin and are simply a tribute to tradition.
Thank Allah, there are no tedious tea ceremonies like in Japan, but it would be useful to know some rules. I will tell you, for example, with complete certainty that Arabs will be very surprised if, when meeting an acquaintance, you do not exchange handshakes not only with him but also with all his companions. The handshake should not be limp. It is even better if it is prolonged and heartfelt. You can even shake the palm of especially dear people with both hands. With a very good acquaintance, it is not a sin to exchange kisses (more precisely, touching cheeks - first one, then the other; but our triple kiss will cause bewilderment). Alas, in the East, all these formal moments are of great importance.
Oh, I almost forgot: in the heat of the moment, do not extend your hand to a Muslim woman. Even if she is quite modern, let her offer hers first.
It is considered very decent to ask for a long time when meeting: "How are you? How is the family? How are the children? How are you?" - and again: "How are you?.." But going into more detail about affairs, as well as asking questions about one's wife (even the most innocent - about her health) is a complete faux pas (and indeed, what business is it of yours, in essence, to know about the health of another man's wife?). It is also better not to ask about other female relatives. Another topic that you should immediately try to forget is details about the personal life of ruling figures.
In the East, it is customary to offer a guest tea, coffee, or another drink with which he could quench his thirst after being under the hot sun. Only after fulfilling this duty can the host begin to talk business. If your refreshment options are limited, do not ask: "Do you want a Coke?" Pour a glass and offer it to the visitor. Even if he hates Coca-Cola, he will not refuse and will pretend to take a sip. Because refusing a treat, even with the purest intentions ("Oh, thank you, no need, don't bother!") is an insult to the host. Remember this when you yourself are offered drinks. An important detail: food and treats should be taken and offered with the right hand. The left hand is considered unworthy, unclean. An exception may be made for fish, which is eaten with both hands. But what should you do with your left hand then? Hold a napkin for wiping your mouth in it. When dining alone in a restaurant, you may use your left hand as you like. However, in a restaurant you will probably be using a fork and knife. But when you visit a local resident, you will discover that even in wealthy homes people still eat sitting on the floor - like in a Bedouin tent - and take food with their hands.
So, you already know that you must eat with your right hand. But do you think that is all the etiquette? Not at all. First of all, you should sit so that your soles do not stick out toward anyone present. I mean the soles of your feet, not shoes, because shoes are removed when entering a traditional Arab home. You need to eat quickly and silently, without being distracted by conversations (you should have talked before the dishes were served). Perhaps, eating slowly, you want to show that you enjoy the food, but the host will still think that you cannot swallow. However, it is not forbidden to briefly interrupt the process to praise the quality of the food. If one of those present starts feeding you from their hands (possibly stuffing pieces right into your mouth), be happy: this is the highest manifestation of a good attitude towards you.
On various occasions, the strongest Arabic coffee is served in small cups. If it is too strong for you, you can refuse a second portion by holding the cup by the edges and shaking it in the air with your fingers. If you simply extend the cup, it will be filled again. But even if you like the coffee, note that asking for more than three times is considered indecent.
After lunch, perfume may be passed around to guests, which is usually used to moisten the skin behind the ears. This is also a signal that it is time to take leave. You remember, of course, what needs to be done at parting? Of course, shake all the men's hands. We have already explained about women's.
However, let us finally talk about women. And debunk another myth that says Islam is very strict with women. On one hand, yes. On the other hand, is Islam to blame? It is absolutely true that before Muhammad, Arab women did not cover their faces and actively participated in the social and political life of the time. Passionate poetesses in the midst of warriors raised their fighting spirit with their verses! Where did the prophet see the new order that obliges a woman to be modest, to cover herself in clothing from head to toe, and not to stick out? From the Byzantines, our Orthodox brothers. As a young man accompanying caravans, Muhammad visited cities in the Syrian provinces of the Byzantine Empire. There he saw what we now observe in many Muslim countries: only with her head covered, only on her half of the house, and not a foot in public places, especially alone. But let us recall that in Spain just a couple of hundred years ago it was considered indecent if the edge of a shoe was visible from under the skirt. So imagine that you are in medieval Spain. Or in Byzantium.
However, in this sense it is a sin to complain about Dubai residents. But if you were in the neighboring emirate of Sharjah just in the company of a woman who does not have documentary proof that she is your wife, then I would not envy you. In Dubai there are no such strictnesses, and a woman can even risk appearing on the street in shorts. On beaches, swimsuits up to bikinis are acceptable. Nevertheless, heavily exposed shoulders, a large neckline, a miniskirt and tight trousers can cause misunderstanding. Men, by the way, also have their own dress code, which excludes appearing in the city in sleeveless T-shirts and rubber slippers. You should especially watch yourself in the mirror during Muslim holidays and Ramadan. But do not think that Dubai residents will be very pleased if you decide to dress up in their national clothes. The reaction will be completely opposite. That is, they will consider it a mockery of national feelings. Even those who presented you with this national clothing will be offended. When you return to your historical homeland, you can strut there in a long dishdasha shirt and a keffiyeh headscarf.
If at a meeting you cannot be the first to extend your hand to a woman, guess whether you can: flirt with women on the street, discuss their virtues aloud, examine their jewelry, photograph them?
However, you cannot photograph men either. Without their consent. Local women cannot be photographed at all. Likewise, government institutions, military facilities, ports, airports, diplomatic missions.
And finally, some rules, dangerous for our citizens who are not accustomed to such restrictions, are dictated not by Islamic traditions but simply by concern for the purity of the environment and the purity of morals. For foul language and a threat uttered in a fit of anger, you can sit for several years or pay $1.500. Garbage thrown anywhere, or even just flying past the trash can, will cost 800 'green'. Although, perhaps, the problem of ecology in the times of the Prophet Muhammad was not so acute, but if he appeared today, he would certainly approve of such measures.
Scared? Perhaps I would be scared too if I did not know that reasonable people live in Dubai, who apply the laws they established themselves quite reasonably. When an English tourist appeared at the Gold Market, dressed in a women's dress, with a veil on his head, with a toy pistol and a mock explosive device in his hands, the police quickly figured out that he was just a stupid joker, and limited themselves to not the largest fine. Another story. The authorities of Dubai decided to ban the film 'Charlie's Angels' because in it a dancer performs a belly dance during the muezzin's call to prayer. But even after the ban, video cassettes continued to be sold in supermarkets designed for foreigners.
Every society has its own concept of rules of behavior. And strangers always find something strange or funny in a country unfamiliar to them. However, small encroachments on your freedom will not overshadow the many fascinating opportunities that Dubai promises - a country where you exist in two worlds at once.