Where Compassion and Kindness Are Prized (The Arab world)

Arab News ^ | 06/22/03 | Linda S. Heard

[Pokey78]

ATHENS, 22 June 2003 — Westerners who rely on the skewed reporting of Fox News or other “fair and balanced” networks, read hysteria-inducing dailies such as “The Sun,” or base their opinions on Hollywood films often end up with an erroneous impression of the Arab world and Arabs themselves. The negatively-indoctrinated might be interested to learn that the Arab world is blessed with qualities fast disappearing in the West — in particular, compassion, a love for humanity and hospitality. It would be nice to back up my assertion with hard facts and statistics but such values are hardly quantifiable. My “evidence” is anecdotal and the only way for Westerners to assess it would be to visit North Africa, the Mideast or the Gulf and judge for themselves.

Most Arabs (and Muslims in general) are always willing to help each other out; their homes are open to guests who will invariably be invited to partake of the family meal. The guest is king in an Arab house and is treated as such. As far as my own experience goes, Britain is at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to hospitality. Firstly, simply dropping in to say hello is frowned upon and even when one is invited there are times when the guest isn’t even offered a cup of tea until the host’s favorite television soap has finished.

On each occasion that my car broke down when I lived in Dubai, several drivers would stop and ask whether I needed help, often rolling up their sleeves to tinker with the engine or change a tire. I recall with a smile the time my dancehall on wheels, a Pontiac Bonneville, was stuck in the sand and 30 or more people got off a passing bus and physically lifted it out of the sand and onto the tarmac. A television advert sums up a similar situation in Britain with a very different outcome.

The ad shows an unhappy young man standing by his vehicle with the bonnet up. A four-wheeled drive comes along filled with his peers who ask: “Want a hand mate?” The owner of the ailing car smiles with relief and says: “Yes please,” whereupon the occupants of the 4-WD shout with glee: “Then call the AA” before driving off.

When my car ran out of petrol in Dubai at the traffic lights, a stern policeman, no doubt thinking “silly woman” pushed it to the side of the road, hailed a taxi and gave the driver Dh5 and an empty mineral water bottle before beckoning me into a nearby shop where he told the astonished shopkeeper to give me a cup of tea. It wasn’t long before I was able to go merrily on my way. Would that happen in London or New York? Doubtful!

Arab kindness runs much deeper than simply offering a meal or changing a tire. Whilst living in Algeria in the 70s, I was involved in a car accident as a passenger. The driver and I were lucky to escape with only cuts and bruises but we were seemingly in the middle of nowhere and our smashed Renault wouldn’t budge an inch. It wasn’t long before we were spotted by the inhabitants of a nearby village and taken to the small mud house of the tribal elder.

I was led to the women’s quarters where the elder’s wife administered to my superficial wounds, plied me with food and drink and delightedly showed off her one-day-old baby girl. In the meantime, her husband drove off to the nearest town, some three hours away, and later returned with a tow-truck and a taxi so that we could return home. Amazingly, although a poor man, he vehemently refused any payment.

Space doesn’t allow me to enumerate each and every act of kindness I’ve encountered courtesy of the Arabs but I must mention the taxi driver in Bahrain who stopped his cab and shouted: “Madame, oh Madame, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. You left your camera in my taxi last year.” I can’t forget the Egyptian cab driver, who drove all the way from Cairo to Alexandria just to return my gold bracelet which had slipped off my wrist and down the side of one of the taxi’s seats or the Qatari woman who took off her own sandals and handed them to me when she realized that I was foolishly walking barefoot on burning hot sand. I have never felt as safe as I did when living in Arab lands, where a visitor is treated with respect and a stranger often behaves like a true and trusted friend.

Due to my own experiences, I am outraged at the way that the Arabs are being painted by sections of the American and British media. The West may have much to teach them when it comes to technology and suffrage but they have so much to teach us poor souls isolated in our lonely towers of consumerism with our televisions and computers for company. If only we knew!

[Pokey78]

So I guess all those Syrians, Saudis, Yemanis, Somalies, & Pakistanis that are linking up with the remnants of the Ba'ath party are really only trying to help us.

[martin_fierro]

It would be nice to back up my assertion with hard facts and statistics but such values are hardly quantifiable.

So your assessments are ... skewed by your wittle emotions. Cute.

[Larry381]

We must remember to remind the families of the tens of thousands of dead Iraqis who were tortured, shot and maimed and the families of the WTC victims that Arabs are driven by compassion, a love for humanity and hospitality-they may have gotten a false impression of this loveable people.

[martin_fierro]

Oh, yeah. He's feeling that "Arabic love and compassion."

[Psycho_Bunny]

Most Arabs (and Muslims in general) are always willing to help each other out; their homes are open to guests who will invariably be invited to partake of the family meal

Most Germans didn't stuff Jews in gas ovens.  What's your point, Linda?

[vpintheak]

There's alot of love... if you're an Arab.

[Rollee]

My heart breaks every time I see that photo. The murdered souls of 9/11 should never be forgotten! Thank you for posting the picture.

[Tax Government]

A worthy article.

[McGavin999]

We know there are wonderful, noble Arabs in the world. Look at how well the Kuwaitis and the people of Qatar behaved, and many of the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. Those aren't the people we're worried about. It's the people who cheer in the street when a couple of airliners filled with innocents passangers are flown into buildings loaded with people who concern us. It's the people who are burning American flags and ranting like a bunch of lunatics in the streets. It's the Arabs who invite you into their country to help them develope their resources and train their people and then turn their heads while a bunch of their compatriots blow them to pieces. THOSE are the Arabs we're worried about.

[hocndoc]

Interesting essay, but in contradiction of the facts
http://travel.state.gov/marriagetosaudis.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/932375/posts

It's also interesting that women are allowed to drive in Dubai.

Perhaps this woman would like to help Sarah Saga.

[Thorondir]

Some defend iSLAM because they are nothing more than quavering cowards.
Some defend iSLAM because they think it makes them sound superior.
Some defend iSLAM because they think their moral relativism will protect them.
Some defend iSLAM because they think appeasement will protect them.
Some defend iSLAM because they are ignorant of iSLAM’s consistent bloody swath through human history.
Some defend iSLAM because they like its fight against Christianity.
Some defend iSLAM because they like its fight against the Jews.
Some defend iSLAM because they like its fight against that other guy’s religion.
Some defend iSLAM because they are sleeper elements of a fifth column in our country.
Some defend iSLAM because it is their faith and they will be murdered by their ‘brothers’ if they leave.
Some defend iSLAM because they are misogynists and the cult gives them what they want.
Some defend iSLAM because they are as primitive as it is.
Some defend iSLAM because they like its fight against America (because their turd-world nations are so far beneath America).
Some defend iSLAM because it’s the popular thing to do.
I swear, some of them would defend the Aztec cannibals or the Thuggee cult if those religions of peace were alive today!

At any rate, iSLAM intends to be the death of America and freedom and every other religion on the planet.

None survive when freedom fails;
Good men rot in filthy jails,
While those who cried “Appease! Appease!”
Are hanged by those they tried to please.

Human civilization had better wake up soon and get as serious about its survival as the seventh-century savages of Islam are about our annihilation!
SLEEPING AMERICANS ARE EASIER TO KILL.
Do not be lulled to sleep by the Religion of Peace defenders.

Click here and never forget the face of Islam and what it wants for you infidels.

[ellhow]

I agree with the article. Arabs have a lot of warmth when you meet them. They like their revenge though, and they like it served cold.

[anniegetyourgun]

"I have never felt as safe as I did when living in Arab lands..."

Sounds like past-tense to me. I wonder why the author isn't still "living in Arab lands" these days?

[Smile-n-Win]

Fox News or other “fair and balanced” networks

LOL Name one!

[scotiamor]

The article fails to note that in many glorious Islamic countries, women are not allowed to drive or even be out alone without a male relative chaperon.

The article fails to note that in most glorious Islamic countries, women can be killed by relatives in "honor kililngs" for the simple offense of talking to a man who is not her relative.

The article fails to note that in many glorious Islamic countries, they perform crude surgery on young girls to remove the clitoris - to reduce her pleasure in sex, presumably. Genital mutilation is the more proper term.

The article fails to note that in most glorious Islamic countries, women do not have the right to vote - among a long list of other rights not granted to women.

But hey, other than that, it was fair and balanced?

[Zman516]

Sorry, Ms Heard's warm fuzzy heartstring-tugging tale of Islamic love sounds exaggerated to me. No negative experiences at all? None? Could it be she has an agenda?

P.S. Ms Heard, I would advise you to stay the hell out of automobiles. And tape your personal possessions to your body.

[Euro-American Scum]

No negative experiences at all? None?

Islam is a religion of peace, you see.

[Alouette]

I am outraged at the way that the Arabs are being painted

So am I.

[tcostell]

...in particular, compassion, a love for humanity and hospitality.

That is of course, unless you're a filthy Jew.... or a filthy American, or a filthy Brit, or some other kind of filthy european...or from one of the other filthy tribes like the Kurds, ....or some other kind of filthy non-believer...or a member of some other filthy group that fails to bow before us as representatives of almighty Allah!

[Carthago delenda est]

Hey, they may be trying to kill us, but they are really very nice underneath! < /sarcasm >