Page 5 - Expat Living Summer 2016
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SAUDI ARABIA
A rabia is the birthplace and centre of Islam. Islam’s two most sacred cities, Mecca and Medina, are
Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia, located in Saudi Arabia. Millions of Muslims make the
the only one permitted to its citizens and pilgrimage to Mecca every year. These sacred sites
the only one that may be celebrated in public. are reserved for Muslims, and non-Muslims are not
While foreigners are granted freedom of religion, no permitted to enter them.
religious practices other than Islam are allowed, and
proselytising is illegal. All businesses and commercial establishments are
required to close during prayer calls. The religious
Non-Muslims should familiarise themselves with police, mutawwa’in, patrol to make sure that
Muslim philosophies and tenets, as these relate everyone abides by the law. Non-Muslims usually are
fundamentally to the daily life of the people. Religious not allowed to enter mosques.
police, called mutawwa’in, actively enforce these
standards. Sawm is the fast of Ramadan, the holy month. During
the period of Ramadan, Muslims must fast every
The majority of Saudis are Sunnis of the Wahhabi day between sunrise and sunset, but they feast
sect, a fundamentalist version of Islam founded by enthusiastically at the close of the day.
an 18th-century religious leader, Abdul Wahhab
al-Shaikh. It regards God alone as divine, not the Ramadan is the celebration of the month in which the
Prophet Mohammed or his descendants. Koran was revealed, and is concluded with the feast
of Id-al-Fitr. This is a religious holiday period which
The strict Wahhabi interpretation of the faith plays should be avoided by business travellers, as most
a very powerful social role in upholding traditional business activities slow or stop until after Id-al-Fitr.
ways. Although Sunni Muslims are dominant, there is The date of this month is established by the cycle of
a large Shiite population in the oil-producing Eastern the moon, moving forward ten days each year.
Province.
Five-Year Permits For Expats In Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s passports department is starting to The new cards can be renewed electronically
issue new resident permits with a five-year lifespan through the Abshir or Muqeem services. They have
for expatriates. magnetic strips to prevent forgery, have no expiry
date on them, and have ‘resident identity’ replacing
According to reports in Arab News, the new resident the word ‘iqama.’ The same fees apply annually
permits were first issued on 15 October, the first day
of the Islamic New Year. The Muqeem e-portal links a company electronically
to the passports department for exit and reentry
Companies and expatriates have to renew the visas, final exit visas, and renewal of residential
permits yearly online, with no need to visit the permits. Companies can also update information on
offices of the department. Delivery of renewed cards their workers on the site.
is done by courier, according to a report. The old
cards would be replaced if they are renewed or if a
transfer of sponsorship takes place.
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