RIYADH, 4 July 2007 — Luxurious restaurants in the heart of Riyadh — a place where new restaurants are blooming all the time — have a unique interior that seldom complements the original, planned décor — both exterior and interior.
Exquisite partitions, like golden cages, now lend a new ambience in the inside of the restaurants giving diners an individual and discrete dining experience.
The traditional setting of having separate men and family sections and then having further partitions in the family sections is something that no longer bothers a lot of people and has become an integral part of the Kingdom’s culinary experience.
From international fast food outlets to exclusive up-market restaurants located in the Kingdom’s luxury hotels the use of these partitions abounds.
“Partitions used to be an individual choice for some conservative guests. Eventually they have become incorporated into the design of restaurants,” said Abu Yusuf, manager of Fresco, a Japanese restaurant in Riyadh. He added that restaurants aim to satisfy the needs of guests and that the majority of his customers ask for partitions. This is especially the case since many people tend to leave restaurants when they realize that the seating system is not private.
“When Saudi customers enter the restaurant, many of them don’t ask about the type of menu as frequently as they ask if we offer partitions,” he added. Restaurants operate with an aim of satisfying customer needs in a bid to attract as many customers as possible and provide that which makes customers feel comfortable. Even the likes of Western-fast food outlets such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds have adapted to Saudi culture by providing partitions.
Customers ask for partitions for a variety of reasons, not just religious. Majid Al-Qahtani, a 43-year-old Saudi, requests partitions for religious reasons. He expressed dissatisfaction at eating in restaurants that do not have partitions.
Justifying his requests for partitions he said, “My wife and three daughters don’t appear modest when eating (in that they are uncovered) and so I ask for partitions,” he said.
However, not all people who seek partitions are religious. At a Chinese restaurant in Jeddah, one young man dressed in jeans entered the family section holding hands with his unveiled wife. A short time after having sat down the couple asked for partitions to avoid the looks of other diners, while also hoping for more privacy.
“Some people are keen to watch what other couples are doing and what they’re eating. Some even make constant comments that irritate others, something that forces them to ask for partitions,” Noel, a Filipino waiter, said.
However, partitions are not always the choice of customers. In some cities, like Riyadh, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice strictly enforces partitions. “We have partitions to avoid fuss,” said Akram S., manager of a poplar American burger and steak house. Many Islamic scholars advocate gender-segregation especially in family sections where groups of single girls and married couples eat. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Obaikan said segregation between unrelated people in family sections was necessary. “Gatherings between single girls and married men can lead to fraternization. This is especially the case when girls wear makeup and unveil themselves while eating,” he said, adding that “to look, speak and listen to any man who is unrelated except at time of extreme necessity is impermissible.”
Abdul Aziz Al-Qasim, professor in creed at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, had a slightly different view. He said that Islam did not fully discourage social interaction between men and women and cited the example of Khadija, who employed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to conduct trade on her behalf before marriage.
Social activist Dr. Saleh ibn Sab’an from the King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah believes partitions are a means of “segregation” and has become an obsession for many people. Ibn Sab’an added that the practice of gender segregation has no roots in religion because, according to him, women and men mix when praying.
“Our society is suffering from a lack of social interaction due to the absence of public spaces where people can gather and interact. Having more segregation will lessen the sense of connection and will increase distances between members of the public,” he said.
Sociologist Madeha Al-Ajroosh criticized the way single boys are separated from other sections of the community. “Bachelorhood is not a crime, nothing should prevent a bachelor from interacting fully in society,” she said.
Al-Ajroosh added that most people think that gender segregation will prevent boys from harassing families and girls. “Well, if we worked a long time back to educate our boys to respect people and behave well, then we wouldn’t have to set rules to prevent them from entering family sections,” she said.
She added that rules need to be in place to prevent improper behavior regardless of whether the person behaving improperly is a male or a female. However, she believes there should not be a blanket rule for specific genders or people of marital statuses.
