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Women and Shisha By Abeer Salahuddin, and Wahid Taja
Decades ago, Syria’s
former president, Shukri Qutally, and the French General Goro, used to
smoke Shisa in the Nofara Café. They never could have imagined that one
day young ladies could compete with them for Shisha-smoking tables. The
Nofara Café, which is located behind the Umayyad Mosque in downtown
Damascus, is the oldest café in the country. It has been there for more
than two hundred years. It is surrounded by the Mosques’ “pride” Minaret
and the Jasmine trees. Now female students, and young ladies who inhale
the Shisha in a manner unprecedented in Arab history, occupy it. In Syria,
where the conservative and religious nature of the people and the
gentleness of the women are well known, women have never before dared to
sit with men in cafes to drink tea or coffee, let alone to smoke Shisha.
Syrian women even used to avoid passing by cafés where men sat. Now they
join them in the cafes, smoking Shisha
In the Fishawy Café of
downtown Cairo
One of them said, “I am 26 years old. I work in
the media sector, and I write literature. I have never smoked before in my
life, however I began smoking Shisha when I was 21 years old. That was in
one of the Ramadan Tents, which was a symbol of youth socializing with
each other. I felt dizzy at the beginning but I was enjoying it. I was
encouraged to come back because I was not the only one doing that. There
were many young women smoking Shisha. However, I did not tell my family
until later. That was two years ago. My family got so angry, and nervous.
I was told that I was doing something shameful, and I was jeopardizing my
health. Anyway, I don’t smoke at home. I only smoke with friends when we
are in a ‘good setting.’ I think Shisha is less harmful than cigarettes. I
have not taken it as a habit. I don’t let it control me. Sometimes, a
month or two will pass and I haven’t smoked Shisha. I don’t think about
it; only when I am with friends.”
Dr. Mahmoud Hamouda, Department of Medical Psychology at the Azhar University, says that female imitation of the male comes from “female dissatisfaction” with their femininity, and an attempt to imitate men in the adolescence period. Also in the adolescent period, where adolescents rebel against older people’s authority, they express such rebellion by performing different sorts of actions, such as smoking Shisha, and other types of dangerous behavior. This stubborn and rebellious behavior not only impacts the female herself but influences generations to come. Dr. Yousri Abdulmohssin, in Ain Shamss University, noted that Shisha-smoking started as a fashion, then became a habit, then an addictive disease. Cigarettes and Shisha raise the level of nicotine up to a certain level, then to avoid depression and unhappiness, smokers have to maintain this level, meaning they get addicted. He concluded by saying, it is merely a fashion, like any other fashion, but unfortunately, it is jeopardizing the health of generations to come. It began with university female students, and female workingwomen who are trying to imitate men and make a point that they are “liberal.” Dr. Amaal Abdulrahman, a sociologist, believes that women’s economic independence, as well as their full independence in running their lives has encouraged them to rebel against traditions, values, and customs. Smoking began as a sign of “liberation”, “westernization”, and being “modern”. It is an imitation of the Western women, and a sign of change toward full independence of women in this society Syrian women and
shisha
Dr. Issaf Ahmad of Damascus University also commented on the spread of this habit. She said, “it is a sort of women’s quest for equality with men. It is a sort of social change that is occurring in our society.” What is strange about the Syrian women is that, they don’t look at this habit as imitation of men. I talked to Jala, a 30-year-old woman, at the Café about Shisha smoking. She said, “Shisha has nothing to do with men, or manhood. It is a way for men to escape women, and escape life problems. Men usually get together to smoke and talk about their problems and concerns in life.” I also met Fareda who was sitting with her daughter, a journalist. Fareda said that Shisha gives women “power and status.” Elizabeth, a tourist from Holland said, “I like Shisha because of the taste of the tobacco. It is so tasty, and enjoyable. However, I won’t smoke in Holland even if Shisha is available because the atmosphere back home does not encourage it.”
Religion and
shisha smoking
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A very strange habit
is sweeping the Arab world; an alien habit preying on Arab and Muslim
women. It is women competing with men to smoke Shisha in public cafes, on
beaches, streets and sidewalks. Female students, young women,
workingwomen, and other ordinary women suddenly find no shame in smoking
shisha, even in public. This phenomenon has snuck into Arab culture in the
past few years. Unfortunately, it even began in the holy month of Ramadan,
specifically in the “Ramadan Tents” where young people socialize during
the holy month! It started in places such as the Pyramids Arena, the Youth
Arena, and the fancy hotels of Cairo, then it spread to downtown Cairo,
but has not yet been successful in invading the popular areas of Cairo due
to the strength of values and the opposition to women sharing cafes with
men.
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