The Importance Of Dressing Respectfully In Muslim Countries

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The Importance Of Dressing Respectfully In Muslim
Countries
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• Irrespective of The Foreign Offices advice, which
  states that travellers to Islamic countries
  should respect local traditions, customs, laws
  and religions all the time, few will argue that
  being respectful to their host country is
  something they are not willing to do. Offending
  locals is something to be aware of also,
  especially during the holy month of Ramadan and
  when paying visit to places of significant
  religious importance.
• Here are 5 of the most visited Muslim countries
  and how best to be respectful when there

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• Morocco
• Its true that Morocco is generally more relaxed
  and laidback about dress codes than many other
  Muslim countries, but it should be noted that
  women will still draw attention to themselves
  when travelling alone or as a group of females.
  To reduce the risk of unwanted attention, female
  travellers are advised to dress modestly, which
  usually means covering your knees and shoulders
  at the very least.
• Many mosques in Morocco are not open to
  foreigners or non-Muslims, so the issue of
  dressing respectfully is not applicable here, but
  of course even if you are

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• near a site of religious importance, you will
  attract attention if you are not dressed
  respectfully and may easily offend local people.
• United Arab Emirates
• The United Arab Emirates official website for
  tourism states that visitors to the country
  should display respect for local culture and
  customs, and it is no secret that beachwear
  belongs strictly on the beach, here. In fact, the
  emirate of Sharjah does not allow women to wear
  swimsuits on public beaches.
• Public spaces such as shopping malls require that
  women dress modestly, with arms and legs covered
  and swimwear is strictly not permitted. If youre
  feeling as

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• if the rules of modesty apply only to women,
  under no circumstances are men permitted to be
  bare-chested when anywhere but at the beach. Be
  warned that fines may apply if you are caught
  wearing clothing that is considered offensive to
  Emiratis, and jail sentences are occasionally
  handed out.
• Turkey
• Turkey is a popular and relatively liberal
  country when it comes to religious modesty, but
  as is the case in most Muslim countries, special
  care to dress respectfully should be taken when
  visiting mosques and shrines. Usually, dress
  codes are posted outside each place of religious
  significance, so there should be no confusion
  about what you are permitted to wear.

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• Egypt
• In this country, the ministry of tourism doesnt
  provide visitors with any specific dress codes,
  but being a predominantly Muslim country, it is
  always wise to dress modestly whenever possible,
  particularly when in rural areas, mosques or
  souks. Of course, Egypt is a popular tourist
  retreat, but bear in mind that what may be
  considered as acceptable clothing in a resort
  frequented by foreigners may not be so desirable
  once you visit other areas of the country. The
  consensus is that women should keep their legs
  and upper arms covered wherever possible, and men
  should not be bare chested.

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• Saudi Arabia
• Keeping in mind that Saudi women are forbidden to
  appear in public with their heads uncovered,
  female visitors to the country would be advised
  to adhere to the same rule. In fact, most women
  in public will be fully clothed from head to toe,
  and while some areas of the country may be a
  little more tolerant of western attire, the
  capital city of Riyadh is very conservative and
  modest clothing is highly recommended.
• To ensure that you have a happy vacation and do
  not incur the wrath of your host country, be sure
  to research the dress requirements before you
  visit. There is no

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• reason why something as simple as covering your
  arms and legs should prevent you from enjoying
  yourself and having a meaningful trip to a Muslim
  country, so dont let this deter you, simply
  dress modestly and behave respectfully, and all
  will be well.
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