9 Tips for Best Business Practices in the Arab World

Being geographically, ethnically, and culturally diverse, the Arab world offers many advantages to businesses. However, these same factors complicate the way businesses are approached and conducted in these countries. The Arab world is comprised of 22 countries, the majority (91%) of them are Muslim and more than half of them (63%) speak Arabic. Since etiquettes and practices differ significantly from western countries, it is pertinent to have an understanding of the flow of things in this part of the world. Here is a compiled list of practices to pay heed to while conducting business in Arab nations. Varying workdays Unlike the custom of weekends in the major part of the world i.e., Saturday and Sunday, the Arab countries either follow a Friday-Saturday weekend or a Saturday-Sunday weekend varying from country to country. This is because Friday is considered holy in the Islamic tradition. So, except Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, the other countries follow the Friday and Saturday weekend schedule. Also, Arab countries have a different list of paid holidays that every employer must abide by; especially during Ramadan which lasts around a whole month, the work hours are reduced, and public dining during the day is restricted. So, you must have an understanding of all such holidays, weekend customs, and draft your workdays accordingly. Prayers are integral to an office workday Another important aspect is considering prayer timings as paid breaks. In Islamic countries, they follow a strict prayer schedule. They pray five times a day and these timings are announced by local mosques and also printed in media. The rough timings of the 5 prayers are as follows: Al-Fajr – Dawn, before sunriseAl-Zuhr – Midday, after the sun has