Qatari Dishes, Rules and Etiquette
We pride ourselves on hospitality, and food and drink is an important part of this. When visiting Qatari houses, accept at least some of the pro-offered food and drink, even if it is extremely sweet: if you refuse hospitality you may offend your hosts.
-
Many people in Qatar don’t
use knives and forks when eating traditional food, preferring to use their right hand – the left hand should not be used for eating, or indeed for shaking hand, as it is reserved for more demeaning tasks. Of course, the hand should be clean and the nails cut short. Polite Qataris will only use three, or perhaps four, of their fingers to pick up the food. Alternatively, they may use bread to scoop up the food.
-
Dates are a very important food, and can be consumed at any time of the day. A visitor should always be offered dates, and if you have any dealings with Qataris you probably will be.
The importance of these dates can not be over-emphasized. This abundant fruit can be eaten at any time of day, and is served to guests as a mark of hospitality.
Even today, business is often conducted only after dates have been offered. Despite it sweetness, the date is full of vitamins and a good source of energy.
Dates are considered especially important during Ramadan, and will be eaten at the breaking of the fast. Rice is also considered a staple food, and in olden days was brought into Qatar by trading caravans
that boy is so handsome:)
Perhaps its my lack of familiarity with gulf cultures but they all seem so similar to me anyways ( I honestly can't tell the difference between Qatari and Saudi CULTURE....I know the people are different and the laws differ, but culturally they seem identical to me).
I just wonder (and don't mean offense, but i'm very curious) about the universality of some of these rules. I mean what about left handed people, can they not shake with their left hand? and what if someone uses their right hand for demeaning tasks?
Also, I know why dates are so popular here, but what if you just can't stand them? or worse, are allergic to them? will your hosts be offended?
I still think the nomadic/tribal cultures of the desert Arabs is fascinating...thank you for sharing and enlightening us.
Stay safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?
Qatari or KSA, not worlds apart...but good pic and info
Thank you
UUUUMMMM! Superb! I felt hungry....
"There's nothing we can do to change the past, if it teaches you a lesson profit from it then, forget it."
Very good cultural information...thank you.
Thank you for posting the photos and the information very kind of you.
like KSA dishes to me.every one can see the flag behind there.
[img_assist|nid=73057|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]