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Middle Eastern etiquette varies greatly among different communities. Seek advice from locals and guidebooks before visiting. Respect for elders, hospitality, and haggling are important.
When thinking about Middle Eastern etiquette, it’s important to remember that the Middle East is incredibly diverse and home to communities that have vastly different rules of etiquette. While there is some etiquette advice that applies throughout the Middle East, it’s a good idea to seek advice from locals before visiting a region to ensure you don’t accidentally offend. Many guidebooks for various regions of the Middle East also have etiquette sections.
Many rules of Middle Eastern etiquette are simply common sense, and if you happen to have grown up in a very traditional household, your manners are probably good enough to travel to the Middle East. Many Middle Eastern cultures place a strong emphasis on mutual trust, respect, and friendship, so by being polite and deferential, you can often be successful in social situations. For example, in many Middle Eastern communities, older people expect a very high level of respect; you should always stand when there are elderly people in the room, unless you have been told to sit down, and you should greet the elderly first.
When interacting with people in the Middle East, the rules vary depending on where you are. In many Muslim communities, for example, it is considered extremely impolite to walk into a room without saying hello to everyone. While non-Muslims are not expected to say salaam aleikum (peace be upon you), while it is polite, they should definitely say hello whenever they enter a room and respond to such greetings. Displays of affection between persons of the opposite sex are generally frowned upon in Middle Eastern etiquette, although persons of the same sex often hold hands or kiss cheeks, without the connotations these actions carry in the West.
You may also want to be aware that many Middle Eastern communities have a strong ethic of honor, viewing someone’s word as a bond. Therefore, you should never make an oral promise that you cannot deliver. Many visitors to the Middle East also struggle with Middle Eastern body language; bubbles of personal space are much smaller in the Middle East and gestures that would be used to convey anger or upset are not used in the same way in the Middle East. Therefore, it can be helpful to listen to someone’s tone of voice and pay attention to their body language.
Many Middle Easterners also place a strong emphasis on hospitality, especially in the Arab community. It is considered impolite to refuse hospitality, be it a cup of Turkish coffee or a sumptuous meal. When accepting hospitality, be polite and kind, and follow the behavior of other people in the room if you’re not sure how to act. As a general rule, it is considered impolite to display the soles of your feet or shoes under Middle Eastern etiquette, even if you are sitting down to eat, and at many Middle Eastern tables the food is presented on a central plate from which everyone eats. In this situation, guests use bread wedges as ladles in the central dish, and it is important in Muslim communities to avoid using the left hand to touch food or other people, as the left hand is reserved for personal hygiene.
When food is offered to you, as a guest you will be offered the choicest parts of the meal, including delicacies that may seem unusual or foreign to you. Keep in mind that refusing such treats is offensive according to Middle Eastern etiquette. Meals and meetings in the Middle East can also seem confusing to people from the West, as people often travel in and out and disrupt jobs. This is because many Middle Easterners mix business and personal relationships, creating a strong network of friends and associates they can rely on. It’s best to go with the flow in these situations and try to avoid seeming pushy or impatient.
Finally, a note on bargaining. Many visitors to the Middle East complain about the way they are treated in the souks and bazaars. Shitting or haggling is a very important part of Middle Eastern culture, and it is considered offensive to refrain from engaging in it. Rather than be put off, visitors should join in the fun, making absurd offers and questioning the merchant’s claims. Transactions in the Middle East often take time and can be interrupted by breaks for coffee, tea and snacks. By haggling, you will earn the trader’s respect, creating a much better relationship which could be very beneficial later on.
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