The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is greatly influenced by the Arab and Islamic culture. The society is in general deeply religious, conservative, traditional, and family-oriented.
Many attitudes and traditions are centuries-old, derived from Arab civilization and Islamic heritage.
Saudi traditions are rooted in Islamic teachings and Arab customs, which Saudis learn about at an early age from their families and in schools.
The highlights of the year are the holy month of Ramadan and the Hajj (pilgrimage) season, and the national holidays that follow them. The holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, culminates with the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday, in which it is customary to buy presents and clothes for children and visit friends and relatives.
The other highlight is the Hajj season, during which millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world come to Makkah. The Hajj season concludes with the Eid Al-Adha holiday, in which it is traditional for families to slaughter a sheep in memory of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son.
Arab traditions also play an important role in Saudi life. These age-old traditions have evolved over the millennia and are highly regarded. They include generosity and hospitality, which every Saudi family offers to strangers, friends, and family. The simplest expression of hospitality is coffee – its preparation alone is an intricate cultural tradition, and it is often served in small cups along with dates and sweets. Another gesture of hospitality is the burning of incense (oud) to welcome guests.
Most Saudis continue to dress in a traditional fashion. For men this consists of an ankle-length shirt known as a thawb (or dishdashah), which is usually woven of white cotton. The traditional head cover is the kaffiyeh (sometimes known as a ghuṭrah), a broad cloth folded and held in place by a camel’s hair cord known as an ʿiqāl. The time-honoured dress for women consists of a thawb beneath which is worn a loose fitting pair of slacks known as a sirwāl. In public women are expected to be fully veiled, however, and a long black cloak known as an ʿabāyah is worn. A veil called a ḥijāb covers the head, and another known as a niqāb covers the face. Among Bedouin, women’s clothing is often quite ornate and has traditionally consisted of a beautiful panoply of handcrafted silver jewelry.
Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia, but English is widely spoken.
It is used in business and is a compulsory second language in schools. Among the non-Saudi population, many people speak Urdu, the official language of Pakistan and other Asian languages such as Farsi and Turkish.
Arabic is spoken by almost 200 million people in more than 22 countries. It is the language of the Qur'an, the Holy Book of Islam, and of Arab poetry and literature. While spoken Arabic varies from country to country, classical Arabic has remained unchanged for centuries.
The Saudi people generally share a strong moral code and cultural values, such as hospitality, loyalty and a sense of duty to support their community. They are often highly aware of their personal honour and integrity. However, the country is also highly modernised and industrialised.