The Beauty of ‘Salamo Alaikom’!

funny looking arab dude that has nothing to do with thisThere are a lot of annoying things about the Arab culture that have been talked about to death. But there are also some things that are awesome and I think deserve to be adopted by the rest of the world. ‘Salamo Alaikom’ is one of them; literally it translates to ‘peace be upon you’, but it sounds much less retarded in Arabic…

If you are a neurotic, insecure weirdo like I am then you feel uncomfortable in any new setting with strangers. But how lovely is it to have these magic words you can say that break the ice immediately?! Entering a shop, a café or any kind of gathering you can say this out loud without hesitation, they answer back ‘alaikom el salaam’ and you are no longer strangers! It has neither misconceptions nor further expectations; it’s pretty much a standard everywhere here.

I appreciate it the most when I’m abroad in a foreign country and walk into a store. The shop clerks look at you and you look at them and experience that brief moment of uncomfortable silence. My mouth always begins to utter the magic ice-breaker but then hold myself back at the same moment realizing that I’m not back home, leaving me with my mouth hanging open and staring at the shop assistant. When it lasts too long and they look as though they’re getting freaked out and pushing a hidden alarm button under the counter, that’s when I usually regain muscle control, close my mouth and make my exit. 

True, you can say ‘hi’, but it’s just not the same. ‘Hi’ is a bit too informal, especially if it’s a woman store clerk. ‘Hi’ kind of implies you’re going to say something else and they stare at you expectantly and it feels weird to just turn and look at the merchandise. Like I said, insecure and neurotic. Stop looking at me…

The only problem is that sometimes it loses its magic power, even in the Arab world. Since ‘salamo aleikom’ is a mostly Islamic thing, many Christians would answer back ‘mesaa2 el kheer’ in a really rough way as if to assert their religion, or not answer back at all. What’s up with that?? Why can’t we just accept an international ice-breaker?

So as not to favour anyone, we can invent a totally different word that would break the ice in any country around the world.  

I personally suggest saying ‘flippity floppity floop’ and then the other person answers back ‘sho na na’! Come on; let’s start the ice-breaking revolution…

 

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Discussion:

7aki Fadi said:

Hey ! You fixed your theme. Looking good my friend :).

And no, flippity will not work cos the Arabs will say flibbity and the westerners will not understand and blah blah blah and so on and so forth.

I always like to say salam both when I come in and when I leave :)

ana said:

I totally agree with the lack of greeting abroad and that feeling of bleh when you walk in- not knowing quite how to greet people. France is great coz they greet you with a sing songy bonjjjjooouur and everyone knows their place with that one.

And so I said...

7aki: Good point, I didn’t take that into consideration. Words CAN get a bit tricky, so instead we could all just make a sound like ‘brrrrrrr’ and the other person answers ‘baaaaa’!

ana: Glad to know I’m not alone, and yes, the French do kick ass in the greetings department. Sometimes they do get a bit over zealous though…

ana said:

the french kick ass in every department

Dan » The Beauty of ‘Salamo Alaikom’! said:

[…] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptWhen it lasts too long and they look as though they’re getting freaked out and pushing a hidden alarm button under the counter, that’s when I usually regain muscle control, close my mouth and make my exit. True, you can say ‘hi’, … […]

kinzi said:

I’ll attempt to take on the reason why Christians don’t say assalam alaikkum. Many times for them, it as seen as a way of being forced to submit (in a very subtle way) to a system that they feel has been imposed upon them.They are already imposed upon by being the usurped religion, being considered part of the jahaliyya, the school curriculum. This is especially true in Egypt.

I don’t feel that way, being a foreigner, but I have sensed the way some say the greeting in a manner with contempt, rather than unity and brotherhood. There have been times I have given the greeting, but met with silence. A very devout Muslims friend said that this greeting is not to be used outside the ummah. Even he doesn’t use it with me, but uses marhaba.

Rasha said:

Great post.
This is part of appreciating the warm things that makes arabs unique…and whether we like it or not IT IS an islamic greeting but we must look at it in the way it’s originally put…It’s not supposed to be for Muslims only…It’s the greatest most nice greeting because it was made for all creations…The prophet ( PBUH ) told us that it’s the greeting of angels and humans and all universe..the greeting that has the name of Allah ALSALAM…the meaning of peace and it’s tranquility and the love and unity it holds.
So, It’s a nice thing to share with everyone
As for christians in Egypt…I’ll be speaking of myself …Most christian friends use it…and some say it incomplete like the word Salam only…I never felt it means forcing a religion upon a minority..egypt ain’t that way and i’m not speaking egypt in the CNN news…I’m referring to the nice , friendly and warm people who usually judge you for who you are not anything else.

Swair said:

I love this post.. very interesting! :D

KJ said:

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL @ 7aki and flibbity LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

I think it would be awesome if we all say hi by screaming! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL imagine a scene cafe now with that hahahahha

And so I said...

kinzi: You’re totally right about that, Christians have a really hard time here and I can understand how something as simple as a greeting can be a harsh reminder that “Hey, don’t forget you are GUESTS here!” like everything else…still…it’s just a greeting people…

Rasha: Thanks. And true, there are two different Egypts, but in both of them there is a lot of sensitivity and intolerance. Yeah, people ARE ‘warm and friendly’, but mostly with people who are like them, but if you’re different in class, skin color, religion…suddenly they turn into nazi’s!

Swair: I’m honored! Sho na na!

KJ: hahahahaha!!! i can totally imagine that dude!!!

The caller said:

apparently there is because i really can’t recognize the nazi’s you’re talking about.
skin color and class in egypt???
anyways, I’m glad i never lived in this kind of egypt.
sorry if i didn’t tune in…i was just speaking MY mind.
thanks.

asoom said:

Ok 7aki stole what I was planning on saying, but I’ll say it anyway.

Your suggestion isn’t quite international in the arab world it would be flibbidy flubidy flob

And so I said...

Caller: Heyyyy, go back to ‘Rasha’! You know that speaking your mind is not only expected but appreciated and i didn’t think you’d react like this to what I said. This is, after all, a discussion, and objecting views are inevitable. So are you honestly saying that you don’t think we have racism,religious and class problems in egypt?

Asoom: Yeah ok dammit, I overlooked that, I’m soooorry!! hehe, I actually think we should go with KJ’s suggestion on this…AHHHHHHHH! LOL!

Rasha said:

yes yes yes..we don’t :)
I know it’s a discussion and again i react my mind :P
look..I honestly never saw - in the past 33 about to be 34 years - racisim in egypt except for very minor childish brat stuff about religion..please note that i’m talking about my life not what i watched in the news regarding the alexandria chaos that occured two years ago..
The only neighbors i’ve ever had a close relationship with were christians and they said salamo 3alaykom 3adi gedan and we greeted eachother in different feasts..theirs and mine.
Now, I would understand if you refer to jews but it’s only HUMAN in my openion to examin prejudice towards a group or a country or whatever you want to call it that engaged in brutal war with you for ages + what history tells us - especially religious- that they hate our guts but on the other hand the fact is egypt has embrased jews among us for ages too and till this moment we have the highest percentage of tourism coming from israel.
Bottom line..we gag all slogans but when we deal we are kind..and that’s a fact i’ve never seen Any where else .
Now skin color and class???? NO way!
people from the same class tending to gather around themselves ain’t called racism..Ya sadeeq frank..what color?? the country of the dark sa3ayda from aswan and luxor that we love and alexandria and mansoura’s blond chicks??
I honestly don’t see egypt as a country or a society generally this way.
Some are..yes..no doubt about that..there are some of every type tab3an..but as a main feeling..i don’t think so.
Now, enta ezayak..3amel eh? :)

Rasha said:

shooooot..the spelling mistakes.
Sorry!

And so I said...

Rasha: I totally get what you’re saying and agree with many things. Perhaps we should clarify what each means by ‘racist’, because when I used it I didn’t mean that we go around beating and hanging black people! HOWEVER, consider a family who is not black…what would be the probability they would marry their daughter to a black man?? Very, very low…even the most cultured people here (and I really don’t relate class to culture) would cause a huge fuss about something like this. That IS racist. On a more harsh note, I’ve seen how the police treat black people here on more than one incident.

It’s one thing to be kind and friendly with all different kinds of people, but when it comes to PROVING you aren’t a racist, most fail the test.

Still, let’s keep it clear that this is not a complete generalization and it’s only coming from my relatively limited experience.

Kolo lazeez, wenty 3amla eh ba2a?

IF ANYONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS, whether in Egypt or not, feel free to jump right in!! Especially if you’re on my side! :-)

Rasha said:

Do you mean that you’ve actually seen police hitting on man cause he’s black or given him the stick specially cause he’s black??
If yes, then let me asure you that you’re wrong..
Most egyptians have dark shades of skin..this is the main identity aslan so how come!!
Fair skin types may get extra hits from the guys but nothing more!
Now about marrying a black man i have to say if it’s denzel washington i would’nt have a second thought! but on another note let me tell u that nubians” men sa3eed masr ” don’t allow their kids to marry from anyother tribe but that’s for keeping the type as they’re few already.
but in the city i’ve witnessed a lot of such marriages based on LOVE not what you, I , She…them look like.
Now this can go on forever Plus it’s not a very easy blog discussion..would u care for a cup of coffee?

7aki Fadi said:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Now that the hello is out of the way.

LOL KJ, I can soooooooooooo picture it. HAHAHAHA

OMG I can’t stop laughing.

Impalatore-polacco » The Beauty of ‘Salamo Alaikom’! said:

[…] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptEntering a shop, a café or any kind of gathering you can say this out loud without hesitation, they answer back ‘alaikom el salaam’ and you are no longer strangers! It has neither misconceptions nor further expectations; … […]

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