Current Time in Dhahran
Saudi Arabia's culture of time
Saudi Arabia's culture of time
Prayer time takes top priority
Prayer (salat) is performed five times a day at the center of daily life, and even shops and businesses temporarily close and take a break during prayer times. In particular, the noon congregational prayer on Fridays is given top importance.
Relatively flexible sense of time
As expressed in the phrase "Inshallah (if God wills)," people tend to prioritize relationships and situations over strict schedules. It is not uncommon for appointments to be slightly off.
Nocturnal society
To avoid the heat of the day, activity increases from the evening to late at night. In particular, in the summer, it is not uncommon for families to go out and business transactions to be conducted after 10 p.m.
Saudi Arabia's values regarding time
God's time and human time
In Islamic teachings, everything is left to the will of Allah, so they have a different view of time than the Western concept of "time management." Unexpected events are accepted as "Mashalah (the will of Allah)".
Relationships overtake schedules
Even in business, unexpected visitors and long conversations may take priority, and the planned time may be significantly changed. This is interpreted as an act of showing respect to the other person.
Changes in the sense of time during Ramadan
During Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the day-night rhythm of life is reversed, and social activities become more active after iftar (the meal at the end of fasting) after sunset. Working hours are usually shortened.
Things foreigners should know about time when traveling or moving to Saudi Arabia
Be aware of government office hours
Most public offices have Friday and Saturday off, and start working on Sundays. There are also three breaks a day (morning, noon, and evening), during which no work is done.
Leave business appointments well in advance
Consider the start time of a meeting to be a guideline, and delays of 30 minutes to an hour are to be expected. However, there is a growing tendency to be relatively punctual when dealing with foreign companies.
Time zones change between summer and winter
To combat the heat, "cool time" is introduced in summer (June to September), and the opening hours of government offices and schools may shift to the early morning.
Interesting trivia about time in Saudi Arabia
There is a job to officially confirm sunset
The start and end of Ramadan and prayer times are determined by actual observation of the moon and visual confirmation of sunset. There are people called "Munadis" who are responsible for this task.
Traditional "Bedouin time"
As a remnant of nomadic culture, time is sometimes expressed in terms of natural phenomena, such as "when the camels are milked" or "when the shade reaches the length of a rock."
The time rhythm of the souks
Traditional markets (souks) are most active in the mornings, but close completely during the hotter hours of the day, only to reopen in the cooler evenings, and have a unique business rhythm.