I don't know his/her sources, but most of these info bits can be found in wikipedia, though they certainly do not suffice to get a good idea of the background of the person you are interested in. In general, though, according to most traditional theological views, dating (in the Western sense, of having a boyfriend and engaging in affective physical contact) is a sin in Islam. Courtship is generally seem as acceptable, but there are usually severe restrictions, which are followed to different degrees in different countries and by different communities. In Iran (which is a Shia theocracy), outside of traditional arranged marriages, if people want to have a Romantic relationship with someone, they are officially allowed three supervisioned meetings before they agree to marry or part ways forever. This is probably one of the most extreme cases, though, and many do not follow these rules strictly, but dating is generally seem, traditionally, just as pre-nuptial arranged meetings by most Islamic countries.
I really liked Boojum's reply, but I would like to make a few additional points. While it's almost certain that he grew up in Islam, he does not neccessarily follow Islam. If he does not, then his lifestyle is still going to be influenced by Islam, but he might not be subject to all of these restrictions. Even if he is indeed Muslim, he does not neccessarily follow all of them either, but the chances that he does most of them are greater. Most Muslims feel they must act with modesty and empathy both in public and in particular, but traditional gender relations in Middle Eastern countries are much more authoritary than they are now in the West. That means you must be cautious about it, and be sure to defend your rights. This is important in general, but becomes a more prominent worry when dealing with people from different cultural backgrounds. There is also a chance that he may see you as a temporary fall into sin, like Boojum pointed out, but of course, that is also kind of a worst case scenario, but one which you must keep in mind. Since Islam really values social behavior, it's hard to actually know the general behavior of a Muslim just from how he behaves in public. I think that's Boojum's point.
In any case, I think it's important for you to be polite and ask him where he stands on any of these points regarding your possible relationship. Before starting to date him, it would also be wise to ask him how he feels about dating, and also to get to know as much as you possibly can about him and his background. Another problem would be that being too intimate in conversations with people of the opposite gender is also frowned upon by most Islamic communities, but you can try to sense his limits and ask him about what he is ok in talking about and what he is not. Even if you eventually decide there is a kind of relationship both of you would feel comfortable in developing, always keep in mind that you are free to get out whenever you want.
Dating Middle Eastern Man
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How do you know all of these things about Bahrain?
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Countess_Kittycat
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I don't know his/her sources, but most of these info bits can be found in wikipedia, though they certainly do not suffice to get a good idea of the background of the person you are interested in. In general, though, according to most traditional theological views, dating (in the Western sense, of having a boyfriend and engaging in affective physical contact) is a sin in Islam. Courtship is generally seem as acceptable, but there are usually severe restrictions, which are followed to different degrees in different countries and by different communities. In Iran (which is a Shia theocracy), outside of traditional arranged marriages, if people want to have a Romantic relationship with someone, they are officially allowed three supervisioned meetings before they agree to marry or part ways forever. This is probably one of the most extreme cases, though, and many do not follow these rules strictly, but dating is generally seem, traditionally, just as pre-nuptial arranged meetings by most Islamic countries.
I really liked Boojum's reply, but I would like to make a few additional points. While it's almost certain that he grew up in Islam, he does not neccessarily follow Islam. If he does not, then his lifestyle is still going to be influenced by Islam, but he might not be subject to all of these restrictions. Even if he is indeed Muslim, he does not neccessarily follow all of them either, but the chances that he does most of them are greater. Most Muslims feel they must act with modesty and empathy both in public and in particular, but traditional gender relations in Middle Eastern countries are much more authoritary than they are now in the West. That means you must be cautious about it, and be sure to defend your rights. This is important in general, but becomes a more prominent worry when dealing with people from different cultural backgrounds. There is also a chance that he may see you as a temporary fall into sin, like Boojum pointed out, but of course, that is also kind of a worst case scenario, but one which you must keep in mind. Since Islam really values social behavior, it's hard to actually know the general behavior of a Muslim just from how he behaves in public. I think that's Boojum's point.
In any case, I think it's important for you to be polite and ask him where he stands on any of these points regarding your possible relationship. Before starting to date him, it would also be wise to ask him how he feels about dating, and also to get to know as much as you possibly can about him and his background. Another problem would be that being too intimate in conversations with people of the opposite gender is also frowned upon by most Islamic communities, but you can try to sense his limits and ask him about what he is ok in talking about and what he is not. Even if you eventually decide there is a kind of relationship both of you would feel comfortable in developing, always keep in mind that you are free to get out whenever you want.