Bahrain Barayn),

(Arabic: , althe Kingdom of

officially

Bahrain (Arabic: , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands, the largest being Bahrain Island, at 55 km (34 mi) long by 18 km (11 mi) wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link Bahrain and Qatar and become the world's longest marine causeway.

Known for its oil and pearls, Bahrain is also home to many large structures, including the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Bahrain Financial Harbour, with a proposal in
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place to build the 1,022 m (3,353 ft) high Murjan Tower. The Qalat al-Bahrain (the harbour and capital of the ancient land of Dilmun) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit.

MOST COMMON TRADITION

Traditional beliefs and customs are strong influences and people are generally more formal than Westerners. Attitudes to women are more liberal than in most Gulf States. Homosexuality, however, is illegal. Video cassettes will be withheld on arrival at the airport. It is illegal for Muslims to purchase alcohol from retail outlets. It is acceptable to sit cross-legged on cushions or sofas in peoples homes but it is still insulting to display the soles of the feet or shoes or to accept food or anything else with the left hand. It is polite to drink two small cups of coffee or tea when offered. Guests will generally be expected to share a bedroom since guest bedrooms and privacy are almost unknown. Smoking is very common and cheap by European standards. Greetings The most common greeting in the Gulf is Salam alaykum (Peace be upon you), to which the correct reply is Wa alaykum as-salam (And upon you be peace). You should always shake hands when greeting and parting from Arab men. In the case of Arab women, you should be guided by the womans behaviour: many Arab women wont shake hands with non-Arab men, although educated women might. This is normal even with close friends whom you meet frequently. If the handshake you receive when
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leaving somebody is longer than the one you received when meeting him, it indicates that youve made a good impression. Incidentally, newcomers should note that refusals or protracted reluctance to meet people are frowned upon. Note also that you shouldnt approach Arab women, look at them or talk to them unless youve been properly introduced. After handshaking, its customary to enquire after the other persons health and other matters, and you should expect similar enquiries to be directed at you. (Dont enquire after the health of the female members of an Arabs family, however, but restrict your questions to those regarding the family in general or the sons.) This can take a long time, as neither party wishes to be the one to draw matters to a close. Foreigners arent expected to know or use all the subtleties this ritual involves, but you will make a good impression if you learn at least some of the standard expressions and use them in the correct way. Whether in face-to-face conversation or speaking to people on the telephone, dont talk business straight away; if you do so, Arabs will assume that youre impatient or not interested in them personally. Arts, Music & Dance Arts include readings of the Quran, ceremonial dances accompanied by flat drums, and storytelling. The poets of Bahrain are famous for their poetic verses and carry on established traditions while also exploring new themes. Births and marriages call for wide-scale celebrations in Bahrain, which often are a pleasure to take part in. Apart from this, the people of Bahrain are also known for their artistic skills, the boats used for fishing and pearling, being an example of this craftsmanship. The traditional jewelry also speaks volumes about the intricate designs that the people of Bahrain can come up with. Khaleeji is a style of Persian Gulf-area folk music, played in Bahrain with polyrhythms. The style is strongly influenced by the music of Africa. The Bahraini male-only pearl diving tradition is known for the songs called Fidjeri. Fidjeri is a musical repertoire performed traditionally by male pearl divers of Bahrain. It involves singing, clapping, drums and dances with earthen water jars. The music of Bahrain follows the traditional Arabic mode. It is elaborate and repetitive. It is played on the oud (an ancestor of the lute) and the Rebaba (a one-stringed
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instrument). Bahrain also has a folk dance tradition. The Ardha is a men's sword dance, which is accompanied by traditional drummers and a poet, who sings the lyrics. Belly Dancing "Belly dancing", as it is most commonly known, has many other names. Often it's referred to as Oriental dance and in many Arabic speaking countries it's known as "Raks AI Sharki" (dance of the East). Most people are familiar with the name but contrary to what many people believe. belly dancing did not originate as a dance of seduction done by concubines to titillate the Sultan. For centuries, the role of belly dancing in Middle Eastern society has been that of a folk dance for joyous occasions such as weddings, the birth of a child, community festivals, and other events that brought people together to party. It was performed by women - for women and was one way that the mothers of marriageable young men could get to know the eligible young women of the community. For Arabian women, the dance was considered to be sacred, and not intended to be seen by men at all. The dance was originally taught to girls from an early age in order to strengthen their abdominal muscles in preparation for childbirth. The muscle isolation techniques require practice and control, and this type of exercise is believed to mitigate pain, so the dance was born through abdominal movements like pelvic rocking and the belly roll. It also involves every other major muscle group in the body by working them in isolation or in opposition to other parts of the body. Through isolating lower body moves from the upper body, it causes a noticeable and continuous movement in the mid-section. Hence the term "belly dancing", as to the observer the belly looks as if it dances during a performance! Traditionally the dance is performed with bare feet with smooth, Flowing, sensual movements incorporating many techniques from different parts of the Middle East: Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq. and Morocco to name a few, and each country has its own style.

Some dancers think Egypt is the source of belly dancing, but despite much research nobody is sure for certain. What is not disputed is that the 'belly dance' is at least 2,000 years old, if not older. AIl though there are different variations and styles of the dance, music. and costume, the basic movements appear to have remained virtually unchanged throughout the centuries. One of the biggest changes to the dance was during the twentieth century and this helped to reshaped the role of the dance In Middle Eastern society. Clay Art Deep in the heart of Bahrain, amidst 4,000-year-old burial mounds, seven family units in the village of A'ali practice a craft that is just as ancient. Bahrain's potters believe that the craft originated in the country, during the time it was known as Dilmun. True or not, what is certainly beyond question is that people from the Dilmun era - which dates back to 2300 BC - loved beautiful pottery. Amazingly enough, this craft is today still being practiced in almost exactly the same way it used to be, with little or no resort to modern devices. The skills have been passed down, generation by generation, and although the number of craftsmen has declined, the potters still in the trade have remained true to their tradition. The potters still use the old fashioned wheel, operated by foot, and the finished pieces are often baked in kilns built into nearby burial mounds.

Sheesha
The traditional Sheesha (hookah), containing sweetened and often flavored tobacco, is smoked by many Bahrainis. The sheesha is served in most open-air coffee shops, where local men can be seen whiling away time enjoying the sheesha, and sharing interesting conversation. Nowadays, members of the expatriate population are also found to smoke sheesha in the cafs.

COSTUME
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Clothing There are two distinct types of womens clothing in the region: one for locals, the other for expatriates. Outside the home, most Arab women dress according to religious custom, which means that they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women are totally covered, including their face and hands, especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands. This is meant to protect women protection from unwanted attention, and in Saudi Arabia even foreign women must wear an abaya outside the home; the relgious police will stop any woman who has her head uncovered and direct her to cover her hair immediately. In the other states, foreign women may wear western clothes but should always dress conservatively.

The regions hot climate and customs call for informal but smart dressing. Arabs frown on clothes which reveal the shoulders, arms and legs, and any woman dressing provocatively will be regarded as being of easy virtue or perhaps even as a prostitute. In the home, however, when not entertaining close friends or relatives, Arab women often adopt western dress, particularly younger women, and there are no restrictions on the way foreign women may dress in private. Sports clothes may be worn in the street and short dresses are acceptable; however, revealing clothing should be avoided. Traditional Dresses The typical Bahraini woman dresses conservatively, usually the Abaya, a long loosefitting black gown, is worn. However, there is no formal dress code in Bahrain, and foreigners as well as local women are seen wearing modern outfits as well. Bahraini men usually wear the Thobe and the traditional headdress which includes the Keffiyeh, Ghutra and Agal. The Thobe, sometimes called Dishdasha, is a loose, longsleeved, ankle-length garment. Summer Thobes are white and made of cotton and winter Thobes can be darker and made of wool. The Ghutra is a square scarf, made of cotton or silk, folded in a triangle and worn over the Keffiyeh. In Bahrain, it is usually red and white checked or all white. There is no significance placed on which kind the man wears. The Keffiyeh is a white knitted skull cap worn under the Ghutra. The Agal is a thick, double, black cord that is worn on the top of the Ghutra to hold it in place.

CURRENCY
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The dinar (Arabic: Dnr Barain) (sign: . .or BD; code: BHD) is the currency of Bahrain. It is divided into 1000 fils ( .) The name dinar derives from the Roman denarius. The dinar was introduced in 1965, replacing the Gulf rupee at a rate of 10 rupees = 1 dinar. The Bahraini dinar is abbreviated .( .Arabic) or BD (Latin). It is usually represented with three decimal places denoting the fils. Coins
The Pearl Monument depicted on the current 500 fils coin in Bahrain

In 1965, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 fils. The 1, 5 and 10 fils were struck in bronze, with the others in cupro-nickel. The 1 fils coin was not produced after 1966 and no longer circulates. In 1992, brass replaced bronze in the 5 and 10 fils and abimetallic 100 fils coin was introduced. A bimetallic 500 fils followed in 2000. Banknotes On October 16, 1965, the Bahrain Currency Board introduced notes in denominations of , , 1, 5 and 10 dinar; a 100-fil note was introduced on September 2, 1967[1]. In 1973, theBahrain Monetary Agency took over the issuance of paper money, and in 1979 it introduced a new family of notes dated 1973 in Arabic, with denominations of , 1, 5, 10 and 20 dinar. On September 7, 2006,the Bahrain Monetary Agency was renamed the Central Bank of Bahrain. On March 17, 2008, the Central Bank of Bahrain introduced a new family of notes reflecting Bahrain's heritage as well as its modern development. Saudi riyals are also acceptable in Bahrain, with the exception of the Saudi 500 riyal note which is only accepted in major supermarkets, airports and electronic shops.

Fixed exchange rate

In December 1980, the dinar was officially pegged to the IMF's Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). In practice, it is fixed at 1 U.S. dollar = BD .376, which translates to approximately 1 dinar = 2.65957 dollars[3] and, consequently, almost 10 Saudi Arabian Riyals. This rate was made official in 2001. Before Malta's adoption of the euro on 1 January 2008, it was the third highest-valued currency unit after the Kuwaiti dinar and Maltese lira. After Malta adopted the Euro, the dinar became the second highestvalued currency unit.

RELIGION
Bahrain's primary religion is Islam. Muslims belong to the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam. The Shi'a constitute of over 70 percent of the for the Muslim population. and

The Constitution that Shari'a (Islamic

Bahrain states law) is a

that Islam is source

official

religion

principal

legislation. Article

22 of

the Constitution provides for freedom of conscience, the inviolability of worship, and the freedom to perform religious rites and hold religious parades and meetings, in accordance with the customs observed in the country; however,

the Government placed some limitations on the exercise of this right. The Government continued to exert a level of control and to monitor both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, and there continued to be government discrimination against Shi'a Muslims in certain fields. Members of other religious groups who practice their faith privately do so

without interference from the Government. Criticism of the Sunni-controlled Government's rule and its perceived unequal treatment of the Shi'a majority population by elements of the Shi'a, and incidents between the Government and Shia, have become significantly worse during the 2011 Arab Spring and uprisings by Shi'a. The country has an area of 598 km2 (231 sq mi) and a population of approximately 725,000. The citizen population is 81% Muslim. Christians and Jews constitute the remaining 1%, with about 1,000 Christian citizens and less than 50 Jewish citizens. Muslims belong to the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam. The Shi'a constitute over 70% of the Muslim population but face discrimination.[1][2][3] Foreigners, mostly from South Asia and other Arab countries, constitute an estimated 38% of the population. Approximately half of resident foreigners are non-Muslim, including Christians (primarily: Catholic, Protestant, Syrian Orthodox, and Mar Thoma from South India), Hindus, Bah's, Buddhists, and Sikhs.

BELIEFS
Women the Elixir of life
Women are the beauty of the world, the symbol of humanity and of mankind. Cant live with them and cant live without them. You can truly value a womans touch in your life when she is away from you, a mother, a sister, a lover. Life is meaningless without them.

Women under Welayat Al-Faqih

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In Bahrain the villages in general are controlled by Welayat Al-Faqih, which represents a branch of the Shia religion. If someone ever came to wonder what the womans role in this community was, well here it is summed up in a few lines.

Welayat Al-Faqih Bahrains branch

Other than renting infants all of the previous is true when it comes to Bahrain. I dont know if they are renting infants in Bahrain to be honest, because I never heard such story. But in Iran they do such inhumane acts. Under Welayat Al-Faqih women have no voice or opinion and it is all in the hand of men, and in Bahrain it is no different. In Villages women are slaves to the Welayat Al-Faqih community and faith, they use them as tools to fulfill their sexual needs and providing services just like a maid to whom the guardian is. No matter if she is working or has a high education degree, the moment she steps in the village she turns into a tool, a piece of property.

The reforms
Nowadays we do not have much of these village types of women, after HM King Hamad came out with his reforms in the year 2002 these kinds of girls became limited. Villagers now have more income more than triple, and villages became more open to the society. This has greatly reflected on women. They became more open minded, taking better care of themselves, obtaining better education, and start having their own voice. But still no will, it is all in the men hands. On the other hand, the 2002 constitution stated equality of men and women, whereas the previous constitution in 1973 forbid women from obtaining high rolling parts in the government and restrict them from voting.

The Treatment
Without a law to protect Shia women and children, they are still exposed to different kinds of unacceptable and unethical behaviors. Women in villages are

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suffering, and I shall give some true life examples of what they are facing in villages. A street beggar once told a friend of mine that her brothers always take her money, and continuously pushes her to beg in the streets. When my friend asked her why do they do this she said all of them are married and have good jobs, but the order of the Shia clerics was that Bahrain streets should not be empty from beggars, and in the day she refuse to do so her brothers beat her up and throw her to spend the night in the street with no dinner.

Exploiting women as tools

Welayat Al-Faqih in Bahrain didnt stop on treating women as assets or mistreating them inhumanely, they also used them to implement their Iranian agenda in over taking Bahrain. Shia girls on Welayat Al-Faqih turned into spies gathering information for the opposition leaders undergoing all means to do so. They too became messengers; well this point needs a quick stop. In the Welayat Al-Faqih Shia branch religion references; Women are to be treated as assets, and not any kind of assets, they specify a woman to be treated as a house, whereas before she gets married she is in the disposal of her guardian and he can either sell or rent her! Huh? In the Welayat Al-Faqih faith it specifies that when a man gets married he pays a sum of money upon agreement to the wife Dowry, and by this he obtains the marriage certificate, which in turn is to be considered as the ownership certificate that allows him to have intercourse with her.

Bahai Marriage

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There are several problems facing the people of the Baha'i religion in Bahrain, including the problem of contracts and marriage, the Baha'i, the state did not recognize the religion Baha'i solemnly, that resulted from some things, Valbhaiion hold hold Baha'i in Bahrain, and then go outside the country to set up another contract civilians are to believe the country held where, and then ratification of the Embassy of Bahrain in the country itself, and when you return is unbelievable in court in Bahrain, and is therefore considered in the system of Bahrain formally married, there are no solutions to this problem so far. While recognized religion Baha'i implicitly, through the grant provided to them on the graveyard in the city of Jesus and then in the Salmabad, as well as through the codification of religion in the form to renew and extract nationality, and it is not mentioned in their passports, but that did not find useful in achieving the full freedom of religion, Baha'is still devout in an atmosphere of semi-secret. He is also Baha'is concerned about some of their festivals, where they may not work these days, in the days of nine, in the first and second month of Muharram, the birth of Bah'u'llh and the door, and V of the article was previously published is a matter of Bah'u'llh, atheist and twenty-Neros New Year, Baha'i and Holiday fast they have, and atheist and twenty-April gala first Radwan, IX and XII of the month Radwan, Baha'i, and the twenty-eighth of Sha'ban on the martyrdom of the door, and the twenty-eighth of May on the death of Baha'u'llah, and all these festivals do not get the Baha'i community to leave, causing her critical religiously. A Bah' donated a farm reality-many area Barbar, then became the gathering place of religion was later sold in 1983 as a special school for non-Bah's.

FLAG
The national flag of Bahrain (Arabic: ) consists of a white band on the left,

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separated from a red area on the right by five triangles that serve as a serrated line. Red is the traditional colour for flags of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The white is on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam. It is very similar to the flag of Qatar, which has more points and has a darker red. The flag of Bahrain was initially plain red, originating from the color of the Kharidjite Muslim sect.

The pre-1820 flag of Bahrain may well have been solid red, but I'm skeptical of any connection to the Kharijites. The Kharijites were those who withdrew their support from Muhammad's son-in-law Ali after he agreed to accept arbitration with the Umayyads over the succession to the caliphate. Their modern successors are known as Ibadi Muslims, or Ibadites. The only significant Ibadi communities are found in Oman (where they dominate), some pockets in North Africa, and on Zanzibar as a legacy of past Omani rule there. The population of Bahrain is predominantly Twelver Shiite, while the ruling Al-Khalifa family--which has been in power in Bahrain since the 18th century--is Sunni of the Maliki school. No Kharijites or Ibadites. It would make sense to attribute Oman's traditional all-red flag to Kharijite symbolism, but why Bahrain's? Joseph McMillan, 22 January 2004

The Ibadite dinasty of Oman dominated the Arab part of the Persian Gulf (and the African coast) in the 18th century. Bahrain was under rule of Nasr al Madhkur of Bushehr, but ca. 1750 the Persian domination ended and Omani influence was

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extended in the zone. In 1783, Ahmad ben Khalifa from the Banu Utba (a tribe originating in Nejd which had moved to Kuwait and then to Zubara in Qatar) established himself in the islands and later tried to dispute the hegemony of Muscat. For 45 years the Al Khalifa disputed supremacy with the Ibadites (1802-1847). The Al Saud family was on the side of Bahrain, but this was short lived, as the Malikite tendency of the Al Khalifa was not in agreement with the Hanbalism of Muhammad bin Abd el Wahhab. In 1820, the Al Khalifa signed an agreement with the British. Another treaty was concluded in 1914 when Bahrain was pushed fully under British control. From 1820 to 1847 the Ibadite influence decreased in the same proportion that the British increased, and ended oficially in 1847. It seems that until 1820 the supreme suzerainty (at less officially) can be attribued to Muscat. (Sources: R. Algrain ("Arabie"), J. Aubin ("Les princes d'Ormuz"), and others, quoted in Enciclopedie de l'Islam (Ibadite dinasty of Oman dominated the Arabic part of the Persian Gulf (and the African coast) in the XVIII century. Baharain was under rule of Nasr al Madhkur of Bushahr but c. 1750 the persian domination finished and Omani influence was extended in the zone. In 1783 Ahmad ben Khalifa from the Banu Utba (tribe originated in Nedj, moved to Kuwait, then to Zubara in Qatar) stablished in the islands, and later tryed to dispute the hegemony to Mascate. During 45 years the Al Khalifa disputed the supremacy with the Ibadites (1802-1847). Al Saud was at side of Bahrein, but this was short lived, and the Malakite trend of the Al Khalifa was not in agreement with the Hambalism of Muhammad ben Abd el Wahhab. In 1820 Al Khalifa signed an agreement with British. More treaties, later, finished in 1914 when Bahrain was push fully under british control. From 1820 to 1847 the Ibadite influence decreased in same proportion that

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increased the british one, and finished oficially in 1847. Seems that until 1820 the supreme sovereignity (at less officially) can be attribued to Mascate. In 1820, following the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, a vertical white stripe symbolizing the truce was added at hoist ( but de facto the plain red flag remained in use until 1910). In 1933, to distinguish the flag from other flags in the area (current Ajman and Dubai flags, ancient Abu Dhabi flag) the stripe was serrated [i.e. limited with a zig-zag border]. The specific meaning of the serration is unknown. The serration was made of 28 triangles. Proportion of the flag was 9:13. Same as the national flag, but with two white stripes in chief and base and proportions 3:4. Pedersen [ped80] has: "Flag of the Emir: mostly proportions 3:4, and the separation between the white bar (not the seam) has always six white points. The colored image has, as a matter of fact, proportions 3:5, and a small white vertical bar to the fly, c. half the width of the white bars along top and bottom."

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