Greetings in the Kingdom

Greetings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a local culture that the Saudis have inherited to express their desire to welcome someone they know. In other contexts, this greeting extends to someone they do not know, inviting them to their region or home.

Guests in the communities of the Kingdom find great warmth and welcome, indicating a display of respect and a desire to show hospitality. There are various phrases that the host uses to honor and appreciate the guest. Islamic and Arab traditions urge and emphasize that honoring the guest is first and foremost an obligation on everyone. The guest and his company are welcomed at all times and in all circumstances. They are even honored if the visit is sudden or without an appointment or arrangement.

The host exerts all his effort to honor and appreciate his guest, starting from receiving him with the Saudi coffee pot, which emanates the aroma of cardamom, saffron, and various types of dates, all the way to serving food whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Despite some differences between the provinces of the Kingdom, they are distinguished by social diversity. Each province has its own dialects, customs, and traditions. The Saudis have many social values derived from Islamic values, which preserve the ancient customs and traditions of the Kingdom, including generosity, hospitality, preservation of family relationships, determination, and courage.

Among the most significant manifestations of welcoming others is the hospitality shown to pilgrims and Muslims everywhere, as the Kingdom is honored to serve the Two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors. This is demonstrated by four large welcoming panels for visitors to the Prophet's Mosque in seven languages at the entrances of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah from the four directions. They feature the following: "We are glad that you came and your comfort is our aim" in Arabic, English, Urdu, Malay, French, Turkish, and Hausa.

The provinces of the Kingdom have diverse cultures regarding greetings and related customs, often requiring effort to express, despite the linguistic variations in greeting styles. Many of these greetings are influenced by the vocabulary of 'Dua'a' (supplication) in Islam. One of the most renowned greeting expressions in the Kingdom is 'Hayyak Allah,' while another widely used phrase is 'Allah Yhayik' or 'Allah Yhayikom,' both of which are fundamentally Islamic greetings.

Greeting gestures to visitors can extend beyond the personal efforts of residents, often manifesting at a broader level. For instance, the municipality of a specific province may take the initiative to extend a warm welcome on a national scale. Aseer, among the provinces, prominently displays the slogan of good hospitality, 'Thousand Times Welcome in Aseer,' on its main road signs.

Greeting expressions differ in different parts of the Kingdom, and there might be shared expressions across regions. In Najran, the term 'Arhibu' (Welcome) is prominent in welcoming guests and visitors. Demonstrating Najran's hospitality, hosts offer Saudi coffee and Najrani dates, extending their warm greeting in their own unique manner, 'Arhibu'. In al-Bahah, guests are greeted with the phrase translated as "Welcome, enter as many times as raindrops in a flood," symbolizing the warm reception extended to visitors and guests of al-Bahah.