UNITED

ARAB
Cabais, Reymund S.
Divina, Daniel John EMIRATES
 Marhaba! (Hello!) and Welcome to our G
uide to Emirati Culture, Customs & Business Pra
ctices

A country seemingly covered in glitz and

glam, the UAE hides away a deep-rooted cultur
e that emanates from the desert and looks to th
e international seas...

Remember this is only a very basic level i

ntroduction to UAE culture and the people; it ca
n not account for the diversity within Emirati so
Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of
Oman
and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and
Saudi Arabia.

Capital: Abu Dhabi.

Flag: The flag of the United Arab Emirates was adopted in 197
1. Its colours of red, green, white and black represent the unit
y of the Arab countries.
National anthem: The National Anthem of the United Arab E
mirates is also known as Ishy Bilady (Long Live my Nation) It
was adopted in 1971 when the UAE was first formed and com
posed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab as an orchestral piece. It
was not until 1996 that the lyrics written by Arif Al Sheikh Abd
 Arabic is the official language of the UAE alt
hough
English is widely spoken and understood.
Since the UAE is home to a large expatriate c
ommunity, a number of other languages are
widely spoken which
primarily include: Persian, Hindi, Urdu, Beng
ali and
Chinese.
 UAE Emiratis are predominantly Sunni Muslims a
nd all social
and political matters are driven by Sharia (Islami
c) law.
However, the UAE is tolerant of other religions an
d accords
religious freedom to the expatriate population. T
hese religions primarily include Hinduism ,
 Although traditionally, Emirati culture has been bas
Gender ed upon a patriarchal society, the UAE endorses gen
Roles: der equality, guaranteeing equal rights for both sex
es. Women are awarded the same legal status, acce
ss to education and employment, claim to titles and
the right to inherit property. According to the Worl
d Economic Forum 2016, the UAE are a leading cou
ntry in the region for equality.
Women now play a far greater role across the workf
orce. This includes previously male dominated estab
lishments such as the military, business and govern
ment.
Until recently, all education establishments were stri
 MEETING & GREETING:

A long but steady handshake is common. Ensure you

only use your
right hand.
Greetings between individuals of the same gender wh
Arab men or women may decline to shake the hands of those f
rom the other sex. This is a religious adherence practiced by m
any male and female Muslims. It is not personal and it should
not be taken offensively. We suggest therefore, that men wait
to see if a female offers her hand prior to offering his.
Likewise, if a female offers her hand and it is refused by a male
, then we suggest the use of a gesture that is often used acros
s the Muslim world as an alternative greeting whereby the righ
t hand is placed flat over the heart, coupled with a brief nod of
the head and a smile.
It is polite to greet the oldest or most senior members of the g
roup first.
Why do women in the UAE wear black abayas a
nd men wear white kandooras?
This is a cultural practice. Wearing black or white for men or women is not part of the
Islamic religion and is not obligatory. Originally men wore white because it reflected h
eat as they spent a lot of 3 4. Can we visit a mosque? Visitors including non-Muslims
are allowed to visit mosques via tour operators that can organize such visits. Random
visits to mosques especially during prayer time are inappropriate. 5. Why are restaura
nts and bars closed during the month of Ramadan? Ramadan is the holy month for M
uslims. During this month, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to dusk
. Thus, as a sign of respect, some restaurants remain closed during daylight. However,
other restaurants stay open, but provide only takeout food. Some hotels provide meal
s during daylight hours in places that are not exposed to the public. Non-Muslims are
advised to avoid eating, drinking, and smoking in public places. their time outdoors.
Women on the other hand, wore black to conceal their curves in order to be modest
Kandora Abaya
CAN WE VISIT A MOSQUE?

Visitors including non-Muslims a

re
allowed to visit mosques via tou
r
operators that can organize suc
h visits.
 Why are restaurants and
bars closed during the m
onth of Ramadan?
Ramadan is the holy month for Muslims. During this mon
th, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to
dusk. Thus, as a sign of
respect, some restaurants remain closed during daylight.
However, other restaurants stay open, but provide only t
akeout food. Some hotels pro- vide meals during dayligh
t hours in places that are not exposed to the public.
Non-Muslims are advised to avoid eating, drinking, and
 Emirati Food:

Harees can be considered

the
national dish of the UAE. Groun
d wheat and meat (goat or mutt
on) are cooked
together
over a low fire. The creamy mixt
ure is
 Madhrooba
is a dish named after th
e
Arabic word for “beate
n.”
It consists of fish/chicke
n
mixed with
Machbous
consists of meat and rice, w
hich is cooked with onions
and spices
specific to the the Middle E
ast
region called biz’aar. It con
sists of loomi (dried lime) a
nd other spices such as car
damom, turmeric, clove and
Khanfaroush

is a yeast dish made from d

ried
ground rice or flour and is
mixed with cardamom, saffr
on, rosewater, eggs and su
gar. After the batter rises, it
is dipped in oil to fry.
 FAREED
(or thareed) is moist fla
t
bread that is soaked in a
mutton-flavored broth.
Meat
stew and vegetables are
usually added on top of
Khameer
is a yeasted flatbread
that contains sugar a
nd date
paste and is baked ov
er
burning coals.
LUQAIMAT
derived from the Arabic word
“luqma” which means “mouth
fuls”. They are
considered as national doug
hnuts
that are cov- ered with honey.
Chabab

is a sweet pancake
that can be topped
with
almost anything.
 Emirati
Handicrafts
 TELLI KHOOS
(The weaving of palm fronds)

Telli is a form of embroidery tha

Woven palm fronds were used t
t is used with twisting colored th
o make
reads. It is
various items such as baskets, f
usually used to decorate the bo
Where can I buy pork?
The most common place to buy pork is in Spinney’s supermar
kets. A counter is clearly marked in a certain designated area t
hat is separate from the main butcher counter.
Can I buy Alcohol?
Yes, alcohol can be purchased after filling out a form for obtai
ning alcohol
license through one of the local alcohol shops in the UAE. A y
Alcohol
early
Are fee consumption
there ofrules is strictly
AEDregarding alcohol forbidden
in the UAE?in unauthorized
places,
200 is required.
such as malls, and streets. Also, driving under the influence
of alcohol
What is the official language
used in the UAE?

Arabic is the official language. But,

English is widely spoken among nat
ionals and
expatriates although in varying deg
rees.
English is also the official language
How do I get around the UAE?

The main mode of trans

portation in the UAE is
by car. Taxis, and buses,
are also available
throughout the Emirates
. The metro and the wat
er taxi could also be use
Can we take photographs?

You can take photographs in publ

ic places. But, if you wish to take a
picture of a UAE national of either
a man or a woman you should ask
permission before you do so. Ho
wever, you should also avoid taki
HERITAGE SITES:
DUBAI MUSEUM (04 3531862)
Al Fahidi fort houses the Du
bai
Museum. Exhibits of weapo
ns,
musical instruments, wood
en boats, and ‘arish’ huts ar
e displayed in the museum.
The museum also has an un
derground section that has
BASTAKIYA DISTRICT
The Bastakiya district was
originally an important trad
ing
location in
Dubai. There you can view t
he famous wind towers that
served as air- conditioners i
n the olden days; and let yo
urself be transported back i
SHEIKH SAEED AL MAKTOUM
HOUSE (04 3937139)
This Sheikh Saeed Al Makto
um
house was built in 1896 as t
he
residence for the ruling fam
ily. The traditional building
has four wind towers and a
large courtyard in the
center. This famous buildin
MOST POPULAR
TOURIST
ATTRACTIONS:
Ski Dubai (Mall of the Emirates)
Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resor
t with 22,500 square meters of i
ndoor ski area. The park maintai
ns a temperature of -1
degree to 2 degrees Celsius thro
ughout the year. It is a part of th
e Mall of the Emirates, one of th
e largest shopping malls
in the world, located in Dubai, U
nited
Arab Emirates. It was developed
Atlantis Resort (Palm Jumeirah)
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai is a l
uxury hotel resort located at the
apex of the Palm
Jumeirah in the United Arab Emi
rates. It was the first resort to be
built on the
island and is themed on the myt
h of Atlantis[6] but includes disti
nct Arabian
elements. The resort opened on
September 24, 2008 as a joint ve
 Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: ‫برج العرب‬, Tow
er of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel locate
d in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Of the
tallest hotels in the world, it is the seve
nth tallest, although 39% of its total hei
ght is made up of non-occupiable spac
e. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial isl
and 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beac
h and is connected to the mainland by
a private curving bridge. The shape of
the structure is designed to resemble t
 Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa (Arabic: ‫برج خليفة‬, A
rabic for "Khalifa Tower"; pronounc
ed English: /ˈbɜːrdʒ kəˈliːfə/), know
n as the Burj Dubai prior to its ina
uguration in 2010, is a skyscraper i
n Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Wit
h a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft
) and a roof height (excluding ante
nna) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj K
halifa has been the tallest structur
BASTAKIYA DISTRICT
The Bastakiya district was
originally an important trad
ing
location in
Dubai. There you can view t
he famous wind towers that
served as air- conditioners i
n the olden days; and let yo
urself be transported back i
 Jumeirah Mosque
Jumeirah Mosque (Arabic: ‫مسجد‬
‫ )جميرا‬is a mosque in Dubai, Emira
te of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
. Construction began in 1976; the
mosque is built in traditional Fati
mid style which originated from S
yria and Egypt. Opened in 1979, t
he Jumeirah
Mosque visit has been a key activ
ity under the 'Open Doors. Open
 DOs and
DON’Ts
in the UAE
 • Dress modestly when visiting mosques and other publi
Dos; c places
• DO… dress modestly, especially when going out in pu
blic. When visiting mosques , men should wear long p
ants or trousers, while women
• should cover their hair with
• scarves.
• DO… use swimwear in private pools and beaches, but “
cover up” when swimming elsewhere.
• DO… stand up when meeting new people, older or hig
h-ranking
• guests. When a
• woman enters the room, men are also expected to sta
nd up.
• DO… be careful about what you post on so
cial media .
• DO… be aware of certain rules of behavior
during
• Ramadan. This is the month when Muslim
s fast, pray, and reflect as part of their relig
ion.
• DO… ask for permission before you take pi
ctures of a UAE national or resident.
• DO… be careful with public displays of affe
 DON’Ts;
• DON’T… stay in a private room or car with a member of the o
pposite sex who isn’t related or married to you.
• DON’T… engage in sexual relationships or live together outsi
de of marriage . This is considered unlawful or illegal in the U
AE.
• DON’T… drink, get drunk, or behave in a disorderly manner i
n public.
Buy alcohol only in licensed hotels and restaurants
• DON’T… drink while driving. This is simply not acceptable in t
he UAE!
• DON’T… use illegal drugs or substances; these are strictly pro
• DON’T… point your foot at anyone. Avoid showing the sole
s of your feet or crossing your legs, especially when you are
with an important guest.
Ask for permission before taking pictures
• DON’T… display any obscene hand gestures in public.
• DON’T… offer pork or alcoholic drinks to Muslim guests.
• DON’T… offer to shake hands when greeting a member of t
he opposite sex who is Muslim. It is customary to wait for t
hem to offer their hands first
• before shaking them.
• DON’T… point or beckon with your finger; gesture using yo
ur whole hand
• instead.
• DON’T… wear shirts that contain text or images that are off
Thank
you