Hi, my name is Nawaf Alsabhan. I created a short show to give people a basic idea of Saudi culture.

1. Saudi Arabian
Culture
GSTU210 SP-14
5-12-14

2. The most important aspect of Saudi culture is the Qur’an and the
religion of Islam. Almost everything in Saudi Arabia is based on
teachings of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the word of Allah as quoted
by Prophet Muhammad.
In Saudi schools, it
is custom to study
the Qur’an until
high school. We
also have to learn
the Hadith, which
is like a companion
to the Qur’an and
is the sayings of
Muhammad. Most
people today try to
memorize the
Qur’an, though it
is not required.

3. The next most important thing about Saudi culture is what we call the family’s
dignity. The reputation of the family is based on the dignity of the women. That
is one of the reasons it is very important for women to stay covered in public
and to not put themselves in the position that they might lose the family’s
honor. This also means we don’t date to find a wife or husband, as most
countries do. Much like cultures of Europe or America pre-1800s, it is our
culture to go to the parents of the woman to ask permission to court her, and
then meet and talk with a guardian there. You are never allowed to be with a
woman unattended. If a woman is seen with a man that is not her husband, or
seen uncovered, it hurts the reputation of the family.

4. Another important
aspect of Saudi
culture is “ ‫”,قبيله‬ or
“tribes.”
Pronounced “gaw-
bee-lah,” these
tribes are like big
family trees. Being
part of a tribe
shows your social
status with other
Saudis. There are
over a thousand
different tribes in
Saudi Arabia, the
most important
ones are here on
this map.

5. Another important
part of Saudi culture
is our food. Some of
the most popular
foods are kabsa
(chicken/beef/
camel with rice and
vegetables), or
hummus, or balila
(chickpeas).
We eat a lot
differently from
most cultures, we
eat with our right
hand and on the
floor. Also, if
someone is done
eating, it is custom
that everyone
stops eating,
because it is
embarrassing to
keep eating.

6. Camels are very important in Saudi
culture. A long time ago, people used
them to travel across the country. Now
they are used for many things. We race
them against each other, like a Saudi-
style Kentucky Derby. We also have a
competition like the Dog Shows on
television. The royal family decides
who’s camels are best, and the winner
gets a million dollars.
We also farm
camels to eat
for
celebrations,
weddings, or
Ramadan if
you are
wealthy.