1. Home
  2. Slideshows
  3. Single ladies! 9 myths about dating Arab men you can dump this Valentine's Day

Single ladies! 9 myths about dating Arab men you can dump this Valentine's Day

Published February 12th, 2015 - 03:00 GMT

Men struggle enough as it is in winning over a woman, but Arab guys are world-renowned for their reputation of being strict, sleazy, and worse… prude! Perhaps that’s why the fairer sex have often kept them in the “friend zone”!

Mind you, those Arab stallions have unjustly gotten a bad rap when it comes to romance, which may have frightened away a single lady or 20 from agreeing to go on a date with them this Valentine’s Day. We dare to say that not all Arabs are cut from the same misogynistic cloth. Most are actually sweet and respectful to those of the XX chromosomal combination.

You might be surprised to find that many a Middle Eastern male is generous, protective, and charming; that’s the Western equivalent of “tall, dark and handsome.” Line up and get ’em girls, there are plenty to go around given the 22 nations in the Arab League!

We’ve whittled down our wildest stereotypes to nine conclusions people jump to when they hear you’re going out on the town with an Arab dude, and then we perfectly put them in their place with some positive facts. Go on, put those negative stereotypes aside and try a “desert date” this Valentine’s!

View as a slider
View as a list
Valentine's Day

Their mama chooses their wife: Mama knows best, right? Believe it or not, a lot of Arab men don’t have their mothers choose their wives in that traditional way here in 2015. Still, you better believe she’s going to get a Security Council-style veto power… and his sisters might too!

Valentine's Day

They’re all control freaks: Arab men get a bad rap as telling their partners who they can and can’t see, and how they should dress. But in reality, Arab women often run the home, have a say in how much shisha their menfolk smoke, and have them running in circles to please them.

Valentine's Day

No naughty business before marriage: Think again, because concepts of virginity in the Arab world can be somewhat... fluid. Couples find plenty of ways to enjoy one another’s company while sticking to the letter of the law. Or else they buck convention and just go for it (read between the sheets)!

Valentine's Day

No romantic getaways: While you may not have reached the honeymoon goalpost just yet, who said a romantic getaway is off the table? Paris, London and Geneva are among Arab stallions’ fave destinations, so you could expect to be whisked away this Valentine’s Day! Remember, they don’t check for proof of matrimony outside of the ME.

Valentine's Day

A woman’s place is in the kitchen: You might not need to worry about slaving barefoot over a hot stove while he watches football. Believe it or not, some Arab men like to show off their skills in the kitchen. If you played your cards right, tonight you might have your very own Chef Ramzi cooking up a romantic fettucini dinner!

Valentine's Day

V-Day, so haram: Who said Valentine’s Day is an evil Western haram thing? Many good Muslim men seem to embrace St. Valentine’s Day and push Cupid’s commercial customs to the extreme. Muslims are free to show their devotion to their WAGs on this occasion - and some seem to take their tacky gifts religiously.

Valentine's Day

All Arab guys are close-minded and strict: Believe us, your Arab man doesn’t dig “the ninja look.” He’d much rather take his Lady in Red out to dinner in that scarlet plunging dress. Peek into the windows of any racy Arab lingerie store and you’ll know that things get interesting behind closed doors.

Valentine's Day

Man on Man PDA: If you see him holding hands with another guy it doesn’t mean that they’re on the “down low”; they’re just best buddies! Arab men (and women) won’t usually hold hands with the opposite sex in public, but have no problems walking hand-in-hand with their same-sex BFFs.

Valentine's Day

He has three other ladies (wives) on the go: Believe it or not most Arab men do subscribe to the one-true-love-for-life model, so you might actually not be sharing your Valentine’s gift with three other girls. He’s all yours, and so is his wallet!

Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Their mama chooses their wife: Mama knows best, right? Believe it or not, a lot of Arab men don’t have their mothers choose their wives in that traditional way here in 2015. Still, you better believe she’s going to get a Security Council-style veto power… and his sisters might too!
Valentine's Day
They’re all control freaks: Arab men get a bad rap as telling their partners who they can and can’t see, and how they should dress. But in reality, Arab women often run the home, have a say in how much shisha their menfolk smoke, and have them running in circles to please them.
Valentine's Day
No naughty business before marriage: Think again, because concepts of virginity in the Arab world can be somewhat... fluid. Couples find plenty of ways to enjoy one another’s company while sticking to the letter of the law. Or else they buck convention and just go for it (read between the sheets)!
Valentine's Day
No romantic getaways: While you may not have reached the honeymoon goalpost just yet, who said a romantic getaway is off the table? Paris, London and Geneva are among Arab stallions’ fave destinations, so you could expect to be whisked away this Valentine’s Day! Remember, they don’t check for proof of matrimony outside of the ME.
Valentine's Day
A woman’s place is in the kitchen: You might not need to worry about slaving barefoot over a hot stove while he watches football. Believe it or not, some Arab men like to show off their skills in the kitchen. If you played your cards right, tonight you might have your very own Chef Ramzi cooking up a romantic fettucini dinner!
Valentine's Day
V-Day, so haram: Who said Valentine’s Day is an evil Western haram thing? Many good Muslim men seem to embrace St. Valentine’s Day and push Cupid’s commercial customs to the extreme. Muslims are free to show their devotion to their WAGs on this occasion - and some seem to take their tacky gifts religiously.
Valentine's Day
All Arab guys are close-minded and strict: Believe us, your Arab man doesn’t dig “the ninja look.” He’d much rather take his Lady in Red out to dinner in that scarlet plunging dress. Peek into the windows of any racy Arab lingerie store and you’ll know that things get interesting behind closed doors.
Valentine's Day
Man on Man PDA: If you see him holding hands with another guy it doesn’t mean that they’re on the “down low”; they’re just best buddies! Arab men (and women) won’t usually hold hands with the opposite sex in public, but have no problems walking hand-in-hand with their same-sex BFFs.
Valentine's Day
He has three other ladies (wives) on the go: Believe it or not most Arab men do subscribe to the one-true-love-for-life model, so you might actually not be sharing your Valentine’s gift with three other girls. He’s all yours, and so is his wallet!

You may also like

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content
Subscribe Now
Loading content ...