CULTURE AND LIVING IN SAUDI ARABIA

The Saudi Government operates according to the Hegira calendar, a lunar reckoning from the year of the Hegira (Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.). The twelve months of the Hegira calendar have 20 or 30 days totaling 354 days. Because the beginning of each month depends upon the sighting of the moon, it is not unusual for the calendar to be adjusted during the year.

The work week

Friday is the weekly day of rest. The normal work week is Saturday through Thursday, although many companies work at half day on Thursday. All government offices are closed on Thursday.

Special periods

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hegira calendar. It is a period of daytime fasting for all Muslims except the sick, the weak, nursing mothers, children under the age of puberty, military personnel during a war and travelers. The fast consists of abstinence form food, drink, smoking and sexual intercourse from daybreak to nightfall. Nighttime is filled with feasting and prayers. The completion of the month of fasting is celebrated by the Eid al-Fitr (the Feast of Breaking the Fast), a three-day holiday commencing on the first day of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan. Nearly all businesses are closed for this holiday; government offices take a longer holiday.

The pilgrimage to Mecca (the Haj) is one of the five requirements of Pillars of Islam and should be performed by all Muslims who can afford it. The Haj occurs during the first ten days of the twelfth Hegira month (Dhy al-Hujjah). Millions of the faithful descend on Mecca and, to a lesser extent Medina, to perform ritual acts of devotion. The first pilgrims may arrive in Saudi Arabia two months in advance, and the last may depart two or three months after the actual dates of the Haj.

The feast at the end of Haj, Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) begins on the tenth of Dhy al-Hijjah and lasts about four days. This, like the Eid al-Fitr, is a holiday observed by both businesses and government offices, although the latter are generally closed for a longer period.

The Ministry of Labour announces the holiday periods each year. Unfortunately, these announcements are made very close to the start of the actual holiday. Only emergency services are performed by the Government during these holidays. Because of the cut-off date for accepting passports for exit/re-entry visas, travelers. must apply for these well in advance.

The Saudi National Day is the only holiday consistently observed according to the Western calendar. It occurs on September 23rd, Neither business nor government offices usually close on this day.

Dress code

In August of 1979, a dress code for foreigners living in Saudi Arabia was published by the Society for the Encourage of Virtue and the Elimination of Vice. In essence, this publication designed for the foreign residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a guide for proper behaviour.

The Society's publication stresses proper dress for females, although it also touches upon male attire as well. Women may not, for instance, wear shorts or short dresses in public, nor may the female figure be emphasized or delineated. Long loose fitting clothes for females are a compulsory requirement. This is best achieved with the Abbaya, a big black cloak which covers you from head to toe and conforms to the requirements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Proper attire is important for men as well. Tight trousers and shirts and any type of shorts are discouraged. Remember, in this climate, loose is cool and comfortable; tight is hot and uncomfortable. Sadly, not all foreign residents in Saudi Arabia pay attention to the dress requirements. A visitor to the souks may see many non-Saudis dressed in complete disregard to the standards mentioned earlier. Some Western Nationalities ignore the standards of dress, which result in the Saudi authorities getting a bad impression of all Western expatriates.

Private dress within the confines of the home of compound is more relaxed and the dress for social occasions may vary. Similarly, dress for recreation or sports is as informal and relaxed as it would be in the West. Nevertheless, employees and their families are reminded that if traveling by car they should be properly dressed, as breakdowns do occur.

Children dress as they would in their home country. Older children visiting their families on vacation should be cautioned to dress in the same conventional manner as their parents.