(nail varnish blocks water from reaching the nails and hence invalidates the prayer) liya kalima: al-hamaqa. Legalistic hamaqa. Saudiyah.....

On the other hand in the context of Saudiyah:
(obviously since we were all potentially unscrupulous agents of perverse men who got off pics of female guests) sadly this makes sense.

This does require some comment:As this was still a somewhat conservative family, the band only used instruments deemed permissible in Islam: should read, binti, permissible in the uniquely Saudi view of what's permissible in Islam. I personally despise given 'ubdan 'abdelwahhab the right to say what's acceptable.

For all the nit-picking, good work. Give me a Maghrebine wedding any day (even allowing for the horrible habit of the using bizarre echoey synths to play chaabi).

Even more sadly L, the ubdan Abdul Wahab definition if what is permissible music wise has spread to other parts of the Gulf and North Africa. A plethora of Islamic munshideen has arisen the most popular of which being Ahmed Abu Khatir of the Emirates (a post about these serene young handsome rock stars is in the making). Re your point about uniqely Saudi view of Islam, the whole post should be read through that disclaimer.

As to legalistic hamaqa, I'm afraid there is no monopoly on that, as you can see from my meticulous mind numbing efforts, it triggers OCD in the most rational and balanced of us.

Bah, bloody narrow-minded wahhabite rotted fools. However, for the innocent, I would suggest editorial clarity on this being Saudi madness. I find it eternally frustrating that so many Westerners have Saudi/Khalije as their image of the region..... turns me murderous.

Music: I don't know Abu Khatir, maybe I should listen to him. However, I unsurprisingly have have a prediliction for Rai.

I look forward to a post about young handsome rock stars. I presume Khaliji? No Rachid Taha? (On the other hand is Rachid handsome?)

Oh Rachid is delicious. Has that whole Russian doll thing going on and that smile. Much prefer the hair without white dye though.
Yes, most are Khaliji but there are some Egyptians and even a new entry at number one from Azerbaijan via The Royal Academy of Music in Regent's Park. Bukhatir is actually quite good, if you are into harmony overkill.

ya ukhtii,

what does "[t]he bride turned out exquisitely" mean in this context? ya'nii - what are the notions of "exquisite" wedding dress in riyadh these days? if it's a rather traditional family - do the guests pay respect to that in their own choice of gowns? does the islamicization of society also show in fashion - are there more "arab" dresses en vogue?

what kind of food is served?

also - during all those hours ... what do the women actually DO? can't imagine everyone dancing - however "modest" the music may be ... do women introduce their daughters of age themselves or do those girls just parade around?

how much are those places venues for young women to network? does one actually meet any new people or do already-set networks stay amongst themselves? how are seating arrangements done? are guests mixed?

so much for now.

--raf*

"islamicization of society"?

It may be my Maghrebine instincts, but wearing neo-traditional or traditional costumes doesn't strike me as 'islamicisation'

dear l,

the islamicization of society had been accompanied by a traditionalism - including the "return to arab/islamic dress" and a scorning of "western garb". maybe not in the maghrib - i wouldn't know.

so, what i said is "islamicization accompanied by traditionalism", NOT "traditionalism equals islamicization".

--raf*

Not in the Maghreb. The fashionable in society always stuck with traditional caftans, etc. Or neo-traditional. I suppose the Levantine weddings are rather different. I only attended high society ones, and indeed those were quite Westernised, yes.

In a sense both L and raf are correct (I so do hate playing the diplomat but I am afraid they are). In the Maghreb and Sudan for example traditional dress is favoured during weddings and is more garish and expensive the more high class and/or non-traditional the family is. (There is a thriving trade in Sudanese women's thobes in Geneva and London). In Saudi Arabia and bilad ash-sham more modern gear is favoured. Hence the bride was exquisite in the same sense that a Western bride would be, white dress embroidered with gold leaf etc..

The food was a mixture of generic Arabic dishes and some random Western ones (a rank lasagne being one) but there was a separate buffet for Gulf dishes (kabsa e.g).

The women who don't dance sit, drink coffee, gossip and generally get bored shitless.

Young girls are introduced but for the large part stay within familiar gaggles, tables are reserved by family names, if the guests are not family they are led to tables reserved for friends of a common background (eg college colleagues etc)so there is little mixing, not that desirable in any case as it woud limit clique's freedom to gossip and bitch, half the fun of these extravaganzas in the first place.
Interestingly re L's point concerning garb, it just strikes me now that for men traditional dress is much more popular in Gulf countries. I wonder if that is because the traditional female gear is boring or because more modern gowns are a refreshing anti-thesis to the black abaya. Hmm

First, for those of you in l-Jazirah, perhaps some comment on this amusing FT article: Saudi lovers suffer blues over red roses by the ever observant Roula Khalaf.

Second, re modern gear - well you should google caftan marocain. Nothing unmodern about Maghrebi chic. There are even plunging neckline versions. But let me refrain from indulging in nationalist passions.

There is an interesting sociological dynamic going on. Levant, Khalije - white wedding silliness. Maghreb, neo-traditional to the T (although men are sort of 50/50 on suits versus djellaba-seroual-tarbouch outfits; I personally like the djellaba chic. Have to get a kicking selham one day, live out my Wali fantasy Wali Bou Lounsbury).

More absurdity. Some even fly their flowers in freshly on private jets from less anal parts of the Gulf. To go even more down the road of the laughable, students at primary and secondary schools today were warned that if any one of them wore red tomorrow, there would be an immediate suspension.

You'd think it was one of those countries were people fell in love and took loving partners all the time..

But it also quoted a sociologist who said that since Islam preached love all the time, why should one particular day be devoted to celebrating love?

So much one could do with that. Since we are supposed to love and honour the country all the time, why is there a National Day? Since we are supposed to be spiritually cleansed and restrain desires of the flesh all the time, why is there a Ramadan? Actually, why pray at all. The non- sequitur possibilities are endless.

Bint: Some even fly their flowers in freshly on private jets from less anal parts of the Gulf. That is, anywhere else.

Meph: Actually, why pray at all. The non- sequitur possibilities are endless.
Ah. Please, why restrain yourself?

In any case, we've got a rich field of commentary. The sociology of overdone wedding dresses, why white euro style ones versus chic caftans. (Reminds me I have to negotiate caftans with the woman)

The theology of celbrating love or why pray at all.

Lots of things.

(Never mind I believe Bint should have treatise on the Levantine Vamp in Airports. If only for me.)

dear b,

quoting l: Never mind I believe Bint should have treatise on the Levantine Vamp in Airports. If only for me.

and cough*me*cough. with e-mail address and/or phone-number. not for me, of COURSE ... they're for ... a friend.

--raf*

Oh come on now, all you need to do is hang out around Solidere land.

Ya Wali Bou Lounsbury, treatise would be forthcoming if I didn't already have caged Levantine banaat coming out of my ears. Maybe when there is more distance and I am not as traumatised I can draw one up with objectivity, at the moment severly compromised- don't want to touch off the bey.

Ya bey (so many titles, maybe I should start demanding that I be called sit el banaat as opposed to the plebian bint), L is right, you'll do fine without me, in fact, am surprised you're not beating them away with a fly swat what with you being a Levantese bey and all..

L- Self restraint is not one of my virtues, am afraid that bint ash-shaitan is much better endowed where that is concerned.