In times like these it would be interesting and actually necessary to shed light on what Arabs have introduced to the West.
No, here we are not referring to violence and everything the media wants you to believe has stemmed from us. We are talking about day-to-day products and habits that originated in the Middle East and have been adopted by the West. Let us be frank though, we definitely still do it better, sorry!
1. Arabic/Turkish Coffee
Now for any true Middle Easterner out there, we all know how precious our coffee is to us!
Espresso anyone? Nah, we are talking about the real thing here; coffee that will wake you right up exactly how it would feel if you inject yourself with around five cans of Red Bull.
2. Kohl
Heard of the term Arabian Eyes?
Enough said...
3. Shisha/hookah
This is the best way to end a hectic day. Just sit down, relax and enjoy your lemon, apple and mint hookah.
4. Bourgol and freekeh
Also known in the West as super foods, if you do not include bourgol or freekeh in almost every dish, I must say you are not truly from the region.
They are very much worth the bloating, trust me.
5. Arabic calligraphy as tattoos
Just like we once were into Chinese symbols, the trend of Arabic calligraphy tattoos has made it pretty big in the West.
However, before you settle on a word or phrase, let someone who is eloquent in Arabic revise it. We have seen some hilariously failed translations .
6. Purple dye
Believe it or not, purple dye was actually introduced in the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, located in modern-day Lebanon. Extracted from the shell of a sea snail, the color purple is not just one of our favorite movies but actually originated in the Middle East.
High Five!
7. Al-Oud
Literally meaning "wood," this amazing instrument is used worldwide today and has become a big part of modern day music. We all know who to thank for that!