Egyptian engagements?

Question

I was intrigued to learn that Egyptian engagements happen at the start of a relationship when a couple becomes boyfriend/girlfriend and the guy actually gives a ring to the girl (like a western engagement). My friend who is Egyptian background tells me that most the engagements don't end up in marriage, at least ones he attended.

I'm wondering how it is for Egyptians in other countries as well as in Egypt, is it like how my friend described? And can you tell me more? Thanks!

Answer 1

The first answer is absolute nonsense as I'm sure your aware of (especially since everyone else has already pointed that out). Egypt is mostly Muslim and most Muslims who are moderate ot strict will follow this custom only the the richer, "modernized" Egyptians date. In Islam dating is prohibited. Women and men are supposed to kep themselves seperate from the other sex in order to protect their "virtue". Women should not go anywhere with men who are not family because there is a risk that the man could try and take advantage of her. Men either notice a woman who is posibly a sister of a friend or someone they have seen on occassion in their vilage/town/city andthen they will pursue an "engagement". Although this is technically an engagement which is very much intended to end in marriage (and usually does) it may be more compareable to what westerners thing of as a formal courtship. Permission must be asked from the family before any sort of "date" can occur. Once engaged an Egyptian couple has slightly more freedom to get to know each other and may then go out in public together without the fear of sinful acts. A formal courtship to a westerner is for the most part the same. A man asks permission from the parents first and basically it's more of a "I'm interested in your daughter and think I may wish to become engaged to her in the future but would like to know her better before making this commitment" kind of thing. This is pretty much the only difference. This custom seems unusal to most westerners nowadays because the Formal Courtship has nearly become extinct as social norms have been altered .

Answer 2

True true.
I thought everybody does that !!!!
Yeah, the guy gives a ring to the girl , and after some time they get married. You are right . Not all engagements end up in marriage. Some don't. I would say the percentage is 85% marriage . The engagement is important for the following reasons:
1- The middle-eastern conservative nature: It is uncommon for couples to go out with any form of established commitment. I know this is the way things are in middle and low classes- my people. However, as some rich people are getting "modernized" they may allow their daughters to have boy friends and so. So in "my" neighborhood, you have to be engaged to the girl if you wanna go steady with her.
2- The economic reasons: Sometimes you like a girl, and you wanna marry her, but you don't have enough money to support her after marriage, or enough money for a place to live in. What you do is you get engaged to the girl hoping that after 3 or 4 years of hard work you will be able to afford marriage.
When Egyptians go to other countries, some of them like to follow the rules of these countries. Sometimes they wanna have girlfriends and boy friends and stuff like that. I don't know. I think it depends on the degree of commitment and on how the guy or the girl is willing to live up to their inherent principle.

P.S" The first answer is awsome. It made me laugh big time. I don't have any idea which she is talking about. So we go naked in the streets and .?.....That's so funny. She totally made my day.

Answer 3

First, Not all the relationships are Engagements !...Engagement is the very advanced level of a relationship here in egypt, which is very decisive and I don't know about "most the engagements don't end up in marriage" because almost all the engagements I heard of ended up in marriage actually !!
when a guy likes a girl and becomes 90% certain she suits him, he goes to her parents and asks for Engagement, which is followed by a small familly party and a "ring" yea that shows they are engaged.
they stay engaged for a year and sometimes longer, and proceed with "marriage"..
Engagement is a milestone in their relationship..

P.S.: I Seriously have no idea what the answer above is talking about, I'm egyptian myself and that "nude" thing is creepy..it never happens and I hope she's not serious because if she is that would be very awful, I HATE talking about uncertain things this way and giving wrong impressions!

Answer 4

People in Egypt are mostly conservative and/or religuous, so the engagement is a form of socially accepet form of relationship that makes the couple know each other better.
Some go all the way and marry, others don't, like any relationship between two couples.
This difference between the concept of "engagement" here and there, is because of different cultural and social perceptions, i think.
P.S.
For the 1st answerer; 4 years gone in vain, unfortunately.

Answer 5

I agree with 2nd and 3rd answeres. My cousin got married like 2 years ago and here's what happened. This man saw my cousin at church and heard good things about her so he decided ring her father and ask her father for her hand in marriage..of course he took time considering this and well basically the girl can either say "yes" or "no" Obviously my Cousin said yes so soon afterwards they got Engaged...In western sociecty you do all this dating buisness and then get engaged then marry..well in Egypt you kinda see each other once..then you get the call from the boy..and you can either accept or reject..!

Answer 6

If there are naked men in egypt i am on my way! That is so funny. I have heard from people as well that an egyptian man will never marry until he can afford to keep his wife in the way she is used of.

Answer 7

1st answer is completely completely funny and im sure you will not beleive that nonsense ,

2nd and 3rd ( psycho and ismail ) is right and thats what happen

remeber that : if some engagements doesnt end in marriage , it doesnt mean the end of world , do u think that people stop marriage coz some divorced ?
the majority of marriage succed and the majority of engagements end in marriage

Answer 8

I truly have some Egyptian pals yet all of their engagements resulted in marriage. notwithstanding, i found it very interesting that in Egypt it truly is the Groom's relatives that bears monetary duty for the marriage fairly of the Bride. it truly is the finished opposite of the U.S.

Answer 9

it was as so, also, when a boy comes of marring age, he goes out nude. all the women are inside and not aloud to look outside. he puts on paint/mud on his body and pics a wife.