10 Important Customs You Must Know Before Traveling to Islamic Countries
If you are planning to travel to any Islamic country for the first time, you probably want to know their customs and traditions before going so that you are not a rude person or feel embarrassed.
And so we have decided to tell you 10 important habits you must know before traveling to Islamic countries.
First: Clothing in Sacred Places
Usually in Islamic countries, if you wish to enter mosques or Islamic places of worship or even Christian ones, it is required that what you wear be appropriate and modest clothing. This is so you do not get embarrassed immediately by people asking you to leave with a nice smile because your clothing is inappropriate for the sacred place you are in. And contrary to television narratives that portray Muslims as evil people, this is not true. In reality, they deal with full respect. Also, Islamic countries are very safe, but we must, out of respect for others, respect their belief. Therefore, we must wear modest clothing in places of worship.
Second: Halal Food
In Islamic countries, pork is completely forbidden and you can only find it with great difficulty and it may not be available there at all. It is one of the worst prohibitions for them, and also alcohol. However, actually, some countries allow its sale in tourist areas, but drinking it among people in popular areas is something unacceptable to them. But in tourist areas, the matter is almost normal.
Third: The Culture of Meeting and Greeting
Muslims use when meeting the usual phrase "Assalamu Alaikum" and the reply is "Wa Alaikum Assalam". And most importantly, do not try to shake hands with a Muslim woman because she will likely refuse to shake your hand because that is unacceptable to them, which creates an embarrassing situation for you that you can do without.
Fourth: Random Photography of People is Prohibited
In Islamic countries, taking photos of people in the streets, especially women, is considered something unethical and completely unacceptable, as you are violating their privacy, and you do not have the right to obtain photos of Muslim women specifically. Therefore, you may bring trouble upon yourself, or someone may call the police on you, and you will get into a problem you can do without.
Fifth: Modest Clothing in the Streets is Necessary
We have talked about not entering places of worship in immodest clothing. But popular streets also require the same. For example, you can wear what you want in Dubai or Cairo or tourist resorts or famous hotels, but it is not preferable to go to a small provincial city or a non-touristic place in immodest clothing. Islamic countries are safe of course, but you may face harsh criticism from the locals, as this clothing is not at all appropriate for their conservative society, and we as tourists must respect that.
Sixth: The Holiday
Remember that Friday for Muslims is the official holiday, like Sunday in Europe. Therefore, you should actually expect to find most of the sights and malls almost closed in the morning of this day. But after the Friday prayer ends, people go to their businesses, and life begins to spread again.
Seventh: The Continuous Call to Prayer
Muslims have 5 prayers in the day, and each prayer is accompanied by a call to prayer and may also be accompanied by Quran recitation. So expect to hear these sounds on microphones repeatedly.
Eighth: The Forbidden Cities
If you go to Saudi Arabia, do not ever expect to go to Mecca or Medina. These two cities are completely and strictly forbidden for non-Muslims to enter, due to the Muslims' belief that God has forbidden them to non-Muslims.
Ninth: Flexibility of Appointments
Usually in Egypt, Morocco, and some other Arab countries, time is very flexible, as they are not strictly committed to appointments like Europe.
Tenth: Beware of Raising Hostile Slogans
Arabs and Muslims as peoples do not accept at all, in any shape or form, if you are from Israel or even if you are a supporter of it. The police and the government apply the law; they might deal with you with a little caution, but your affairs will remain fine as long as you do not break the laws. However, the peoples and the local residents will deal with you with extreme violence if it becomes clear that you are Israeli or support them even just a little. So do not think of showing that in front of anyone.
Visiting Islamic Countries Will Be the Most Beautiful in Your Life
You will see the most social peoples in the world and the most friendly and kind. For example, and you may find it proven in some YouTubers' videos, if you see a Muslim person eating and you go talk to him while he is eating, he will ask you to eat with him and may insist on it very much. Of course, this is free and he will not ask you for any money in return; it is just for sharing. Socially, you will never see such family bonds in your life as you see in Islamic countries. Islamic countries remain very protective of their members, where the father is responsible for the family from their childhood until his children marry and form new families. They are also among the peoples who love doing good and helping others the most, contrary to what the media and television portray to you.
Besides this, most Islamic countries are very safe, and they also have huge tourist attractions and places you will not see anywhere else, such as the Pyramids and Pharaonic antiquities in Egypt, the sultans' palaces and huge mosques in Turkey, the stunning nature in Pakistan, Morocco, and Algeria, the most beautiful beaches in the world in the Maldives and Egypt, and the beautiful classical life in the Sultanate of Oman.
I do not think you would want to miss all of this. In short, your trip to Islamic countries will be completely different.
Written by Elsayed Ouda