ABSTRACT
The very mention of the Arab world and its rich cultural history brings to one’s mind visions of Arab traders on camels, checkered headdress, veiled women, incense, magic carpets, calligraphic art, dhows, and couscous. Given that the Arab world spans 22 countries across a large geographic region, misconceptions about the culture are prevalent. Consider Turkey and Iran, which are part of the Middle East. Iran’s official language is Persian and Turkey’s official language is Turkish. Indeed, the Arabic language is the defining element of the “Arab world.” Nevertheless, there are cultural and historical differences between different Arab countries. For example, the “Abaya” (ladies’ wear) and “Thawb” (men’s dress) are traditional dress only in some Arab countries. Similarly, the Qatari tea, Karak, would be good in advertising for drinks on a website in Qatar, but Moroccan tea would be the corresponding alternative in Morocco. Statues in Islamic culture are not preferred, but pictures of nature are. Colors are also culture specific. For example, on a happy occasion black would not be used. All these aspects of culture influence art, and in turn, the design of a website, particularly in the use of images, metaphors, and even colors. Islam has influenced Arabic calligraphy, and abstract
stede’s (1991) model of culture. We aim to fill this gap in the literature.
