Guide

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Home

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EWmums

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ewmoda

Abaya question

AzaniaKhayaLam10671

329

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 24 April 2011 - 22:07

How many of you are not Arabs or locals but wear Abayas?
Am asking because I'm forever tempted to get one but worried people are going to start speaking to me in Arabic;)

oohh and are you required to cover your your head just because you are wearing one?

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2222

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 14:57

People will assume you're a muslim convert if you wear an abaya. There's edited by Tallybalt on 25/04/2011 so why do they ask? My hair is covered am wearing an abaya? what DO YOU THINK is my religion!!! (it does irritate me - as its not really anyone's business)

654

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 14:53

People will assume you're a muslim convert if you wear an abaya. There's no reason for non-muslim women to wear them and exceedingly few Western women in Dubai wear abayas, so you may get more puzzled looks and inquiries as to your faith than you might expect. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 25/04/2011</em>

2222

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 14:47

Am non arab and wear an abaya, i dont speak arabic and people do speak to me in arabic but not that much as to be honset i look western (white, fair). I wear sheyla and all my hair is covered. I usually get the tinity of questions: 1 - are you muslim? 2 - are you married? 3 - how did you become muslim?

5452

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 25 April 2011 - 14:40

I am not Emirati nor Arab and I wear an abaya. Occasionally people speak to me in Arabic. If it just something minor, I respond in Arabic. If it's a big thing, I just say: "me no speak Arabee." and they seem to understand. I don't think anyone really cares if a non-Arab is wearing an abaya, but it does seem a little strange for a non Muslim to be wearing one.

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 24 April 2011 - 22:37

I am no longer in UAE but will be returning next year for good inshaAllah I first lived in UAE at the begining of 1990 until 2004 and wore Abaya for most of that time. The locals loved seeing me dressed like that and I never recieved any negative reaction. It helped that 99% of my friends were local and for a time I lived with a local family on a huge farm in Al Awir. I also do not look English at all and was mistaken even by locals for being local myself until they heared my voice. You rarely saw a western women in Abaya back then, due to UAE not really being well known to most of the world. Most expats were Brits and generally the non arab'locals who wore them were Brits married to Emiratis. But now when I visit my husbands family, everyone seems to be wearing them although the way they are now worn is totally different to when I was living there. I see nothing wrong with wearing one to be honest so buy one and give it a go. I miss wearing mine a lot, it became kind of like a security blanket. <em>edited by imanesmama on 24/04/2011</em>

2725

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 24 April 2011 - 22:10

I went to the Culture Understanding and was informed that Emirati's like the fact that not Muslim's like to wear the Abaya. My DD was given one as a present from another Arab Lady, so I would say yes to wearing them.

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