Many western women have a fantasy of meeting a rich, handsome and exotic man.
Dating an Arab man can fulfill that dream. But before you start dating Arab men, there are some things you need to know.
What do you need to know about dating Arab men?
When dating Arab men, you need to know their culture, what they expect from you and the relationship, how they view male and female roles, Arab standards of beauty, how to make an Arab man fall for you, and how to avoid common Arab boyfriend problems.
This article will give you insight into what it’s like to date an Arab man and their expectations for dating western women.
15 Things You Need To Know When Dating Arab Men
Knowing what to expect when dating an Arab guy can help ease misunderstandings and tensions down the road.
It is best to remember that these things are just part of their culture, so try to respect them as much as you can.
You two can learn about each other’s cultures and make the relationship work despite any differences. By embracing your differences, this could be a very rewarding experience for both of you.
1) Children’s respect for elders
The first thing we want to mention is how much respect Arabs place on elders in their families and society.
It’s very important for everyone in the family to know and live within their place in the family structure. Your Arab boyfriend will often defer to his elders for advice.
This may seem strange, especially to Western women, who often value more independent thinking and behavior.
2) Arab culture values family
Arab men are very family-oriented and will respect your wishes for your involvement with your family.
But be prepared for them to also spend a great deal of time with their own family.
If you’re not someone who highly values family time, family meals, and family interactions, then you might encounter real conflicts in the relationship.
3) How they view dating
Commonly, they see dating as more of a courtship process before getting married than traditional Western dating.
Depending on how much they follow their culture and religion, they may be very intent on marriage as soon as possible.
They might be uncomfortable with public displays of affection and might refuse to sleep in the same bed until after marriage.
If you don’t want to get married anytime soon, you could run into issues with your Arab boyfriend.
4) Arab men’s biggest turn-offs
There are a few things that really turn an Arab man off.
It’s best to avoid these traits and behaviors if you want to successfully date an Arab guy.
Here are a few of his biggest turn-offs:
- Disrespect
- Immodesty
- Breaking cultural values
- Breaking religious values
- If his family does not approve of you
- If you are divorced
- If you are a single mother
- If you’re not a virgin
It’s best to avoid these traits and behaviors if you want to successfully date an Arab guy.
5) Jealousy and protection
He will be highly protective of you and very jealous.
This is one of the most significant issues that can affect your relationship.
It is usual for Arab men to be jealous. They are not used to seeing their woman interact with other men, which can cause many arguments and fights that will take away from the relationship.
It’s helpful to know this going into a dating relationship with an Arab man because it’s not likely to change.
6) Be prepared to change your entire world
Your Arab boyfriend will ask you to make a lot of sacrifices as it relates to your lifestyle and friends.
Be prepared for them to want you to change your style of clothes, music, friends, and just about everything else about you.
At first, it may even seem like they love you too much, but it can quickly feel controlling.
7) He likes to be in control
They like to dictate how things go in a relationship, even if this makes you unhappy.
Initially, you may feel like he is spoiling you, but later, you will see that he can come across as pretty selfish with his money and time.
He likes to lead the relationship, make the decisions, and won’t respond well if you try to exert power or authority.
If he disagrees with you, he will interrupt and talk over you.
8) Arab standards of beauty
Like everywhere else in the world, beauty standards differ across Arab countries.
However, there are some common standards to know if you want to attract an Arab man.
Arab standards of beauty:
- Round or oval faces
- Raised or elevated eyebrows
- Large eyes
- Almond-shaped eyes
- Defined cheeks
- Small nose
- Straight nose
- Defined jawline
- Full lips
- Prominent chin
- Petite or curvy body shape
- Long black hair
It’s important to study the beauty standards from his exact region. For example, there are differences between Moroccan beauty standards and Saudi Arabia’s beauty standards.
9) Signs he likes you
How do you know if an Arab man likes you?
Arab men will usually tell you that they like you, so it won’t be much of a mystery.
If he likes you, he will make an effort to get to know you, spend time with you, show off, and dress up when he is around you.
If you message him, he will respond quickly.
He will likely tell his family and friends, so they may act differently toward you. If you notice them looking at you all the time, treating you in a new way, or talking him up, odds are that he likes you.
An Arab man will also flirt with you when he likes you and get jealous if you interact with other men.
10) How to know if an Arab man is serious about you
They communicate love through verbal expressions such as “I love you” and “Do you want to go out?”
Courting is often communicated through gift-giving, this includes jewelry, clothing, food, and other items.
A man who wants to date or marry a woman will show her this interest by buying expensive gifts.
A huge sign that he is serious about you is when he introduces you to his family. As an Arab man, he would only introduce you to his family if he plans on marrying you.
Lastly, he will probably start talking about marrying you. Many Arab men (not all) avoid traditional Western-style dating and prefer courtship that leads to marriage.
11) He won’t like your guy friends
As we mentioned earlier, Arab guys feel very protective of their girlfriends.
If you have a lot of guy friends, he won’t be happy. Odds are he will make a big deal if you have any male friends or spend time alone with any guys, even for school or work.
Be prepared for him to ask you to get rid of all of your guy friends, even on social media.
This can be a problem if you are used to having lots of male and female friends, like to go out with your friends, or work in male-dominated industries.
12) Arab men are proud of who they are
Arab men are very proud of who they are and want to show off the beautiful western women by their side.
This can be a bit unbearable for some women, but the confidence and charm of an Arab are hard to resist.
If you like him, then be proud and show him off as well.
13) Honor and Respect
Arab men want to marry a loyal and woman dedicated only to them.
If they see that you can handle yourself in any situation, particularly with other men, he will highly value you.
Your Arab boyfriend also wants your respect. He will not react well to anything he interprets as disrespect, including your choice of words, body language, and the way you act and dress.
14) Loyalty
Loyalty is super important to Arab guys.
If you show him loyalty, he will prize you and your relationship. Disloyalty will drive him away from you.
You show loyalty in a relationship with an Arab man by sticking by his side no matter what.
Many Arab men are very loyal to their women, and they expect them to be completely loyal in all these ways—emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually.
An Arab man views loyalty is different from how most westernized men view it. While most guys just want their girlfriend, wife, or lover to be loyal physically, conservative Arab men want their woman to be loyal spiritually.
They don’t just want you to not flirt, date, or sleep with other men.
A very devout Muslim may also want you to pray five times per day towards Mecca and read the Quran every day.
You don’t have to agree with everything that the Quran says—you can even disagree with it—but you have to be open to the possibility that your Arab man might be right.
15) How to make an Arab man fall for you
As long as there is a baseline level of attraction, you can do certain things to make an Arab man fall for you.
Here’s how to make an Arab man fall for you:
- Dress modestly
- Show him as much respect as possible
- Tell him that you like him
- Follow his traditions
- Practice his religion
- Show him how much family means to you
- Do not interact with other men (or limit it as much as possible)
- Let him lead the relationship
- Defer to him when making decisions
- Respect your parents
- Tell him that you want children
Can a Muslim Guy Date a Non-Muslim Girl?
The technical answer is, “yes.” You and your partner are two individuals who may decide to date each other.
An Arab guy can date and even marry a non-muslim foreigner.
Sometimes, it depends on where you are establishing the relationship and whether the laws of that region allow it, according to the legal position.
The religious response is, “No,” since Islam does not support a romantic relationship between any guy and any girl (regardless of religion)—unless they are married.
What’s It Like To Date Arab Men?
There are many stereotypes and myths about dating an Arab man.
It’s also true that every man is different. That means very few things are true of any man. Arab men, like men from all other cultures, differ in their upbringing, culture, and adherence to tradition and religion.
However, there are some commonalities of dating Arab men, so we’ll focus on those in this section.
An Arab man will often be very courteous and attentive to your needs.
If you feel like going out for a casual dinner, he’ll ensure that you get the best table in the house. He’ll also arrange transportation and any other details —all this without asking you or taking no for an answer.
In addition, he will never ask you to split the bill on a date—it’s not because of a lack of manners, but rather to show his love and affection towards you.
It is customary for him to pay every time, so don’t expect him to change just because you have different cultural beliefs about money.
In the Middle East, it’s also widespread for men to give flowers and small gifts to their loved ones.
He doesn’t want anything wrong to happen to his future wife, so he’ll do everything in his power to protect you. To non-Arabs and other outsiders, this may seem like controlling behavior.
Types of Arab Men
Arab men can be categorized into different types based on their cultural background.
The three major types:
- Traditional
- Relaxed traditional
- Westernized
A traditional Arab man strictly follows his culture, traditions, and religion. He is unlikely to ever leave his Arab country and is very immersed with his family.
A relaxed traditional man is similar but is not as strict. He may leave the country, date foreigners, and show more openness to adopting or accepting other cultural values.
A westernized Arab man may have grown up in a western country such as the United States.
He may or may not be religious or follow any traditional customs.
Best Online Sites For Dating Arab Men
If you’re looking to date an Arabic man, here’s a list of the best online sites:
- Arab Lounge: The goal of the Arab Lounge app is to bring single Arabs together. The site achieves this by providing free memberships, a quick matching algorithm, and helpful communication tools.
- Arab Matchmaking: Arab Matchmaker is the matchmaking app that works to help you find a good-hearted Arab man. You can build your profile, add photos, and be in touch with everyone in the Arab community worldwide.
- Arabian Date: ArabianDate is a popular site that has helped 1000’s of Arab singles find their match. You can sign up and create your profile for free, browse profiles and photos, and communicate with other members.
- Love Habibi: LoveHabibi is an international online community for Arab men and women seeking to date. It facilitates the search for love, friendship, and marriage.
- Single Muslim: SingleMuslim is a community of men and women who believe in the values of Islam and seek their other half. You can sign up for free and interact with members on the site.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, dating an Arab man isn’t easy. But it might be a lot of fun!
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