The Arab society extends five and a quarter million square miles, with eighty percent being desert conditions. The traditional view of Arabs as nomads, which started with Muhammad’s emigration in 622, makes up a little less than five percent of the total world population today. Almost half live in cities, where both men and women have more educational, as well as employment opportunities. The new society of Arabs still holds close to traditional values and morals. Loyalty to the family has always, and continues to be the top priority of the Arab. Religion is also a main focus in how they live their lives. Islam was first developed in the 7th century AD, and was centered mainly to the Arab desert nomads, but Arabs of today are only one fifth of the total Muslim population around the world. Now Muslims are in the greatest numbers in about 35 countries spreading from the Pacific to the Atlantic and from Africa to Asia.
Muslims follow the holy book called the Qur’an. They hold the Qur’an high, and it is followed in all areas of life, from religious to governmental and social issues. The Arab people speak Arabic, which is the religious language of the Qur’an. Spoken by people from Egypt, North Africa, Iraq, Syria, and Arabia, this language is uniform throughout the entire Arab world. Including a variety of guttural (from the throat) sounds, this language is complex and unique from other languages. Arab or Egyptian cuisine is known for flavor and its use of fresh ingredients. The staple in every Arabs’ diet is a bread called Aish, which is a darker form of the Pita bread in the Greek culture. Fava beans are also important in the diet. At an Arab meal it is expected to have a soup, meat, vegetable stew, bread, salad, and rice or pasta. Their desserts aren’t rich; mostly fruit is served after a meal.
The technology is rapidly growing and is first in some areas. In Lebanon there was the first national television station to broadcast 24 hours nonstop. They also have many other TV and radio stations, as well as newspapers that can even be seen on the web. The pastoral dessert nomad, which herded camels and sheep across the desert is fading fast, and is being replaced by professionals and technicians that work in the populated cities. Many Arabs find employment with oil companies and other big manufacturing companies, which have bases in the Middle East. With the average life expectancy rates between 70-80 years of age things are on the rise for the people of the Arab nation. The Arab society is both old and new. They continue to keep family and relationships as a high moral value. Education is on the rise, with the opportunity there for both sexes.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on Arab culture.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL.
If you are Arab, your feedback is much appreciated.
Works Cited
Arab. Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com 2 October. 2000
Barakat, Halim. The Arab World. University of California Press 1993. (6-42).
By, Karen Pearson-Roden