One of my first observations of the Gulf apart from rampant consumerism, was the social distance between locals and ex-pats. After 16 months living in the Gulf, I cannot count a single local amongst my acquaintances and not through lack of trying.
I figured that if I was living in a particular country I would get to know the locals and spend time with them on a social level, but that was not the case. I found the locals very polite and generous, but in no way interested in going beyond basic interaction. They lived in what seemed a parallel world protected in their houses behind high concrete walls. And it may be as simple as that – protection. Protecting themselves from what is happening to their country. The speed of development and change threatens their cultural traditions, conservative ways and family structure. A lot of ex-pats are kafir or not practicing Muslims and too much mixing with them has affected the younger generations who are starting to shed tradition and Islamic practices to copy the western trends.
Ms al Atiyat (Emirati events manager at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in Dubai) said that there was growing anger and resentment among Emiratis witnessing a blatant disregard for local laws and culture. One notorious example was that of two Britons caught having sexual relations on a beach hours after meeting at a champagne brunch. Both Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors were jailed and deported in a sign of an increasingly hard line against offenders. (The national, 24/10/09).
“The barriers have been put up on both sides,” reported The National. “Perhaps because they (ex-pats) are here temporarily and the law does not encourage a long-term commitment to the country, expats can be very cliquey. There are those whose lives revolve around the country club on a Saturday and golf on a Sunday, and they get annoyed if they are reminded they are in the UAE.”
I had the intention to stay in the Gulf long term, perhaps for my whole career, but if I was not able to interact with the local people and their culture I felt no point in staying. Ex-pats come and go, and I wanted to make stable and long term relationships.
The outcome for Muslim non-Arab ex-pats can be a very lonely existence where one cannot befriend locals easily nor Arabs ex-pats and that leaves the eroding force of kafir ex-pats who have a great social life because they have managed to implant their munkar activities into the Gulf.
Most ex-pat Muslims came to the Gulf for money and duniya opportunity so finding actual muhajireen fi sabilillah was rare and sisterhood was sparse. There were a few good ex-pat sisters around, but very, very few, and in very spread out locations, so it was not always easy to meet up.
I fear the Gulf has lost its soul and cast over itself a glitzy shell and fancy lights which will one day fade and crack.
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10 comments:
Salaams,
Wow! Very well said, mash Allah. I agree with your observations 100 percent. The locals won't be able to hide behind their high walls, safe neighborhoods, or exclusive compound forever. I think they need to do something about the situation, and fast! Their children are being affected. These kafir come and go, but their negative influences remain forever.
Very interesting. I never knew this about the Gulf. You'd think that atleast a few people might try to make the effort to get to know you and befriend you! Would be great if you could do a comparison with Yemen
They have a program in UAE called "Emiritisation" where they encourage Emiratis to get out there and work and also encourages adherence to traditional ways and a watered down Islamic identity.
@ nafeesa: The comparison between the lifestyle of the Gulf and Yemen - there is no comparison. Social life in Yemen is far richer. I would write a comparison, but I wouldnt know where to start. With Yemen, you just have to experience it. :)
Very interesting to learn about your perspective as a muhajirah. I also didn't realize that the locals and non locals lived in two virtual separate worlds. What about the children? Does this filter down to them or do they play, go to school, etc. together?
It seems to filter down to kids too. I see Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian kids hanging out together and then all the locals together in a different group. The only time I saw local kids mix with ex-pats, they were mixing with non-Muslim ex-pats.
in regard to that, I heard the Egyptian/Jordanian/Syrian girls express notions of superiority over locals.
My mum spends a lot of time in Kuwait and she says theyre very closed and blank faced when she gives them salams or even smiles at them. Even when shes out grocery shopping and she goes past a sister and gives her salams the sister wont even reply or smile back or anything, they just ignore her like shes invisible or something.
My mum was saying she was in a lift with some of them and she noticed they tried to keep the kids from playing with my mums little girl or have anything any thing to do with them.
Its sickening. If I was living in the Gulf I wouldnt be able to help myself from putting up a snippet from the prophet Muhammad saw's final sermon, the part about Arabs not being better then non Arabs.
Its sickening.
How sad. I guess this attitude/behavior is learned from a young age. Maybe, then, it needs to be corrected, as well, at a young age. If it doesn't come from the parents, the school system should be used to teach about diversity/tolerance/acceptance
To be honest, if i was an emirati or qatari parent, i would not want my kids mixing with expats unless they were very practicing.
I do understand their concerns and reasons for not mixing, but it just made life ver boring for me to get along because I generally didnt want to mix with expat either!
Im in KSA now and that is EXACTLY how it is! Unless you're an Arab expat you really can't interact with the huge Arab Muslim expat community, and regardless of who you are, even as a Muslim the Saudi's don't want to have much to do with you and it's incredibly hard making friendship connections with locals!!! The non-Muslim expats do have a life all their own...they go to Aramco or Bahrain to party but they do it.
For us Muslim expats it's definitely difficult here.
Allahu alim.
I ended up leaving the Gulf and moved to Yemen and here I find the opposite. The Yemenis are happy to welcome you into their life and their doors are mostly always open to the muhajireen Arab or non-Arab.
Alhamdulillah!
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