Five Arab greetings that are not a handshake, from hand on heart to Sudanese shoulder tap

The UAE is home to various salutations that reflect its cosmopolitan society

The Arab world is full of colourful and vibrant hand greetings. Getty Images

We could be waving goodbye to the handshake.

As the world slowly emerges from the collective trauma of Covid-19, it seems the once benign and universal physical greeting could be a thing of the past owing to its inherent safety risks.

While business leaders and psychologists reportedly opine that this could be a game changer when it comes to daily social interactions, chances are people in the UAE and the greater Arab world will merely brush it off.

Long-term residents in the region know the handshake is merely one of many greetings used due to the cosmopolitan and relatively conservative natures of our societies.

Here are five used in the UAE and what they mean ….

1. Hand on heart

Lebanese fashion designer Georges Hobeika acknowledges the audience at the 2018 spring/summer Haute Couture collection fashion in Paris. AFP

Talk about a heartfelt gesture, this is an evergreen greeting widely used in the Mena region and fit for any occasion, from entering the family home to acceptance speeches in award shows.

It is also a handy greeting to use first for those who prefer being welcomed without touch.

2. Sudanese shoulder pat

A common greeting in Sudan for people to tap each other affectionately on the shoulder. Reuters

This is a lovely exchange used by my Sudanese brothers to underscore a bond that’s beyond acquaintance, while not fully being great friends.

When both people meet they simultaneously reach out their right hand and pat the other’s left shoulder and add a little squeeze of affection.

3. The Shaka

Also known in Hawaiian surfer slang as ‘hang loose’.

It comprises extending your thumb and little finger while keeping the remaining fingers curled. The greeting is capped off with a little shake of the hand.

While I came across the gesture in vintage episodes of Baywatch, it was The National’s photographer Victor Besa who explained to me how it’s a common greeting within the UAE’s vibrant Filipino community.

“You have to understand that we make about 25 per cent of the Hawaiian population, so obviously we picked up a few things from that,” he said.

“It’s mostly used here within the Filipino urban artist community, from photographers to skateboarders.”

4. The Shuu

The beauty of this is it is so malleable it can be both a greeting and accusation, with the difference lying in the use of tone.

Both require the instigator to twist their wrist in clock motion and say and elongated version of ‘shuuu’.

Translated to ‘what’, when expressed with a smile it means a cool and casual ‘what’s up?’

Done with a frown or alarm and it can mean ‘what are you talking about?’

It's best to limit this greeting to close friends rather the boardroom.

5. The Eye Hug

Sometimes our eyes can be more welcoming than a hug or handshake. Photographie Maxime Gruss / Hans Lucas

People call it an extended squint, but I prefer to look at the brighter side and call it the The Eye Hug.

This is the latest greeting I have come across since Covid-19 arrived and masks become a normal feature of the workplace and leisure activities.

With human connection and hospitality a premium in the region, friends, colleagues and restaurant staff have often used it as a sincere form of acknowledgement.