Saudi Arabia Religion, Dances and people clothing
The Arab world is placed from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, from Morocco in the west to Oman in the east. The religion of the majority of the people in Arab countries is Islam and is interpreted according to the conservative Wahhabi ideology. The government of Saudi Arabia has institutionalized religious organizations within the state power structure. The language shared by them all is Arabic. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world as 26 percent of the proved reserves, and plays a leading role in OPEC which is the acronym for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. In 2002 it ranked as the largest exporter of petroleum, exporting to Japan, the United States, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. This country is the primary in wheat cultivation, followed by sorghum, barley, millet and watermelons, tomatoes, dates, grapes, onions, pumpkins, and squash. Although the country is self-sufficient in wheat, eggs and milk, the seventy percent of food needs are still imported. Is important to add that in Saudi Arabia are located the Islam’s two holiest cities and major pilgrimages sites which are Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia's flag consists of a green field with Arabic script and a sword pointing towards the hoist. The Arabic writing is the shahada, the profession of the Muslim faith: ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet’. Green is a traditional colour of Islam and the Wahhabi sect.
Religion
As you can see at the begining, Islam is the religion of state in Saudi Arabia and is interpreted according to the conservative Wahhabi ideology. The legitimacy of the monarchy rests on an alliance between the Saudi royal family and the ulama, who serve as consultants. The monarchy has institutionalized religious organizations within the state power structure. The most powerful religious body is the state-funded Council of Senior Ulama, which provides religious approval for policies determined by the government. Religious police enforce public morality guidelines as determined by the Council. Daily life is dominated by islamic observance. Five times each day, muslism are called to pray from the minarets of mosques scattered throughout the country.
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Saudi Arabia morality religious police islam arab spring
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Because friday is the holiest day for muslims, the weekend begins for them on Thursday. According Wahhabi doctrine, only two religious holidays are publicly recognized. Public observance of non Islamic religious holidays is prohibited with the exception of 23 september, which commemorates the unification of the kingdom.
The Grand Mosque - Mecca
Dances
Despite in this country they are seriously religious people , they also have the manner how to have fun and celebrate special occasions of their life, for example, they have a variation of combat dances, which are compound on coordination and skill of dancers and musicians. These type of dances are similarly considered noble dances and are performed by men at official ceremonies and public festivities. The most popular dance for the king of Saudi Arabia is also known to perform it, is dancing with swords. Rather than combat, the emphasis in these dances is the ceremonial brandishing of the sword. The way as the dancers perform this type of dance is with two swords, which they manipulate in intricate patterns, crossing the front and the back of the body. Men also dance with staves, which they twirl in the manner of a baton. A comic dance with two men dressed as a horse and following the orders of the trainer is also known in Saudi Arabia. The ‘arah, ‘ayylah, and arbyah, are also type of combat dance popular in Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf countries. Dancing is performed in courtyards or other clear areas outdoors. When dancing at a large gathering, dancers typically perform in their best clothes. Traditionally, they maintained serious facial expressions while performing, women were espected to keep their eyes lowered modestly or in some cases, to veil their faces, thus conforming to culturally accepted standards of presentation.
SWORDS DANCE
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Richly dressed women are known for the performance of raq al-dawsari, in which the women execute subtle gestures and articulations of the hands, torso, shoulders, and head. A similar dance style of the gulf region, known as kheliji, with articulations of the torso similar to those found in domestic belly dancing and gyrating of the head, is popular among performing groups outside the region. It is similar to the dancing known as bandari in the gulf region, found on the Iranian side. Musical accompaniment for dancing, in addition to singing, is provided by bagpipes, double-reed wind instruments, and percussion ensembles. In the cities, there are orchestras with oud (a lute) and other stringed instruments. This dance is accompanied by the beat of several drum. Small groups of men break off from the line to improvise their own movements.
Dress Saudi Arabian people
Saudi Arabia is a really strict country about the dresss, since they follow the principles of hijab: this is the Islamic principles of modesty, especially in dress. For example women's clothes are decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread and appliques. Also women are required to wear an abaya or modest clothing when they are exposed to the public. 
On another hand Arab men must to wear a traditional headdress that is called Ghutrah, normally it is worn in areas with an arid climate, to provide protection from direct sun exposure and also protection of the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand. It could say that One of many reason why Arabian people dress like this is, to be protected from the hazard, sand of many desert, etc.
In conclusion, always there is something new to learn. Perhaps you have heard about the Saudi Arabia's religion before, but no at all about the type of life in this country. Thoughout this outline you have seen that Saudi Arabia is the largest reserves of petroleum in the world as 26 percent of the proved reserves, and plays a leading role in OPEC. Thus this country is the primary in wheat cultivation, followed by sorghum, barley, millet and watermelons, tomatoes, dates, grapes, onions, pumpkins, and squash. Saudi Arabia people perform many type of dancing depending of what occasion they are celebrating. Saudi Arabia is a really strict country with dresss, since they follow the principles of hijab: this is the Islamic principles of modesty. I hope you have been interested in this topic and have learned more than you already knew it.
V. Citations:
V. Citations:
"Saudi Arabia, Islam in” Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003 Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Miami Dade College. 4 July 2012 http://www.oxfordreference.com.db16.linccweb.org/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t125.e2114
Najwa Adra “Middle East” The International Encyclopedia of Dance. Ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen and the Dance Perspectives Foundation. Oxford University pres, 2003. Miami Dade College. 3 July 2012 http://www.oxfordreference.com. db16.linccweb.org/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t171.e1157.s0001
Anthony V. Shay "Arabian Peninsula" The International Encyclopedia of Dance. Ed. Selma Jeanne Cohen and the Dance Perspectives Foundation. Oxford University Press, 2003. Miami Dade College. 24 July 2012 http://www.oxfordreference.com.db16.linccweb.org/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t171.e0069
"Saudi Arabia" World Encyclopedia. George Philip Ltd, 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Miami Dade College. 24 July 2012 http://www.oxfordreference.com.db16.linccweb.org/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t143.e123
"Saudi Arabia, Islam in" Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Miami Dade College. 24 July 2012 http://www.oxfordreference.com.db16.linccweb.org/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t125.e2114
