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Eating Etiquette

Arabs are restricted by Islamic conventions from eating pork, most carnivorous animals, and unscaled fish. Alcohol is forbidden. Here are some of the other dietary restrictions or regulations for Muslims.

• Meat must be butchered in line with Qur’anic ritual (know as Halal=permitted)
• The staple of the Arab diet is dark pita bread.
• Lamb is the most common meat.
• Always offer snack foods to visitors and accept what is offered to you as a guest, but only after modestly refusing the first offer.
• It is assumed that guests will accept at least a small quantity of drink (tea usually or sometimes Arabic coffee) offered as an expression of friendship or esteem. It is considered rude to decline the offer of drink.
• When served a beverage, accept with the RIGHT HAND ONLY! When eating, drinking, offering, or passing use right hand only!
• When eating with Arabs, especially when taking food from communal dishes, the left hand must never be used, it is considered unclean.
• Not eating everything on one’s plate is considered a compliment.

It is a sign of wealth when an Arab can afford to leave food behind. If invited to an Arab home, leave shortly after dinner. The dinner is the climax of conversation and entertainment. Avoid discussions on political issues (national and international), religion, alcohol, and male-female relations over dinner or tea.

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