Saudi Arabia Guide: Culture

Getting used to a completely different culture isn’t easy. This section is specially designed to help you adapt to live in Saudi Arabia. It provides useful information about religion, social customs and national holidays in Saudi Arabia.

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  Social Customs

  What are local customs like?

  Needless to say, many Arab customs are very different from those in the west, and you should be aware of what you're expected to do and not to do.

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  Religion

  Some tips about Islam

  Needless to say, Islam is the main religion in Saudi Arabia. Learning something about Islam and respecting its traditions and practices is important for all expatriates.

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  National Holidays

  Important dates in the Islamic calendar

  Important dates in the Islamic calendar are the Prophet’s ascension ( Al Isr’a Wal Mairaj) and the Prophet’s birthday ( Maulid Al-Nabi), the start of Ramadan and the two ‘festival’ ( eid) holidays, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, which are observed as holidays in all the Gulf states except Saudi Arabia, where the two Eid holidays are the only official holidays, although some of the others might be observed by private institutions.

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