ABOUT QATAR

Traditions in Qatar 

Majlis traditions in Qatar

Majlis is where individuals meet to discuss acute topics, functioning much like a salon in Western Europe. Majlis is a main feature of Qatari life. Majlis tends to be a private space, with women meeting inside the home. Located near the entrance, the Majlis is a separate room that allows travellers to overcome the more private spaces in the house.

Guests in the Majlis are offered dates and served Arabic coffee in a characteristically shaped pot (called dallah) in small cups which come with no handles.

The best-decorated space in the house and the Majlis was habitually the only room with windows opening onto the street and less fancy houses make use of simpler decoration with recessed niches while affluent residences filled the windows of the Majlis with coloured glass and some include window screens or carved gypsum panels with regular geometric designs. 

Ramadan traditions in Qatar

Ramadan is the ninth and greatly the most important month of the Islamic lunar calendar. During this time, Muslims everywhere do fasting from sunrise to sunset.  A time of reflection and spirituality, Ramadan, a month of reflection and spirituality, brings all diverse people together in the act of fasting. It's a season of charitable giving and fasting.

Eid traditions in Qatar

The Islamic lunar calendar includes many significant occasions, but the most important festivals are the two Eid Holidays.  The Feasting Eid Al Fitr starts after Ramadan, a month-long time of fasting. Eid al Adha comes after two months, marking the end of Hajj. Each Eid has its traditions and historical importance.

Date cultivation

Date palms are the primary fruit trees growing in Qatar and are one of the oldest trees on the Arabian Peninsula. They've always been significant in the region, with Qatar being the world's sixteenth-largest date-producing country.

In Qatar, serving Arabic coffee and dates is a symbol of hospitality. Date syrup, extracted with a traditional date press,  madbasa, is sweet and sticky, and it's been used for centuries in eastern Arabia.

Date presses may be found at Al Zubarah, highlighting the significance of dates in Qatar's early culture and economy, as well as for fulfilling the nutritional requirements of the Qatar population. 

Arabic coffee

In Qatar, serving traditional Arabic coffee is a special way of expressing hospitality and welcome. The coffee is freshly ground and flavoured with cardamom and other spices and it is served in small cups with no handles from a distinctively shaped pot which is called dallah.

Bukhoor

Incense is made from scented wood and is very popular in Qatar and the whole region. It is burned in a mabkhara, a special type of incense burner, to produce rich smoke in-home and on clothing. Visitors are invited to waft the smoke around themselves as an expression of Qatar hospitality.

Dhow boats

Qatar is strongly linked to the sea. Fishing, pearl diving, and trading have been important sources of income for Qatar popular for generations. Traditional wooden dhows, which have remained mostly similar in design over the years, are a legacy of Qatar's coastal heritage and still cruise the waters today. Boats were made by qalalif, and some specialized dhow workshops across the Arabian Gulf, such as the Emiri Shipbuilding Workshop in Qatar, are keeping the trade of traditional boat building alive. Sanabeck, Tieeh, Jalbout, and Al Baggara are just a few of the various types of wooden dhows available, each with its design, size, and use.

Oud

Oud, commonly known as 'liquid gold,' is created from a black resin found in the agar (aquilaria) tree, a Southeast Asian plant. Oud has been used for thousands of years in the Middle East and Asia and is now widely recognized as the ingredient that gives many popular 'oriental' perfumes their unique rich and woody scent. Oud is easily available in the Middle East in the form of hardwood incense chips, body oils, and fragrance, and is used in both Arab homes and on special occasions.

Pearls

Qatar has been a major exporter of pearls for centuries. Although  Qatar's economy has progressed, the country still has a fondness for these rare natural wonders. Today, travellers can find real pearl jewellery at fine merchants all across the country. Travellers can find the best deals with a visit to the Souq Waqif and the Gold Souq of Doha.