Today while sitting at work, not working apparently, I got hit with a memory from back in the day when I used to go biking along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. I am talking back in the late 80’s early 90’s. The Corniche is a spectacular 5 mile pier along the Arabian Sea. Locals, tourists, would jog along this pier, fish, take in the beauty of the sea, and some like me would cycle along it. One end of the pier ended in the middle of the Sea where you get a breathtaking view of the city skyline.
Anyway along the corniche are beautiful stretches of beaches with pristine pure Arabian sand and crystal clear blue water. Needless to say this attracts a lot of tourists yearly. All along the beach you see a bunch of tourists lathering suntan lotion and stretching in the sun to get a decent tan, and then hilariously enough, a few feet behind the tourists you would see a whole line of curious local men just sitting like frogs taking in the whole scene. They would just sit there in groups ogling at the ladies with no shame whatsoever. My buddy and I would just stop and watch these guys watching the ladies and they would encourage us to sit with them by saying “Acha maal hay” – basically meaning “Good Stuff”. To be fair I guess these guys never see white people so when they do get a chance they treat them like celebrities, following them like loyal fans. They mean them no harm, just want to admire them from afar. The state of affairs today probably hasn’t changed much in UAE, but now with the advent of modernization and tourism, the locals are used to seeing tons of gora folks, including celebrities like Maria Sharapova etc.
Most of these guys are Pathans and they are mostly employed as cab drivers and/or construction workers. Most of their families are back home. They are devout muslims as in they don’t miss prayers and they don’t miss their fasts. But interestingly, they haven’t heard of the term “lowering the gaze” when it comes to women. What about their wives back home! Ya Ilahi!
Just take a look at the last thumbnail above and you will see what I mean. Oh and don’t ask me why, but all the locals hold hands which is just hilarious. No they are not gay, just a custom there I guess. Even though I lived there for 18 years thankfully, I never took part in that custom.
B E L I E V E R 
Believer……””They are devout muslims as in they don’t miss prayers and they don’t miss their fasts. But interestingly, they haven’t heard of the term “lowering the gaze” when it comes to women.””……This is what they called it HUMAN NATURE. By nature men behave as such and the term ”lowering the gaze” is where Islam came in to tame them! 🙂
When you mentioned locals hold hands who do you referring to? Back home in Singapore, I also encountered as such in LITTLE INDIA. Indian guys like to hold hands….So now you mentioned it, I realised now it is a custom! I was thinking other than that. Anyway thankfully you did not take part in that custom! It looks really hilarious as what you said. 🙂
By: 2jay on April 16, 2007
at 4:22 am
I know this is long gone but fyi it is a sunnah of ow beloved Nabi SAW for men to love each other for the sake of Allah and yes even hold hands.To show love for one another they would even feed each other dates wen breaking fast etc. but of course with all manner of perversions goin on these days there is the risk of actions bein misconstrued
By: zaida on September 11, 2008
at 2:18 am