ZEBIBA - THE PRAYER BUMP
MUSLIMS ARE REQUIRED TO PRAY FIVE TIMES A DAY. DURING THE PRAYER RITUAL, AT VARIOUS TIMES, THE FOREHEAD IS PRESSED DOWN TO THE PRAYER RUG, CAUSING FRICTION. THIS CONTINUAL CONTACT MAY EVENTUALLY RESULT IN CALLOUSES FORMING ON THE FOREHEAD CALLED ZEBIBA. IT CAN APPEAR AS ACTUAL BUMPS OR AS DARK SPOTS.
ZEBIBA IS A SIGN OF DEVOTION, PIETY, AND DEDICATION. HOWEVER MUSLIMS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO PURPOSELY TRY TO FORM ZEBIBA IN ORDER TO "SHOW OFF" TO APPEAR TO BE MORE DEVOUT THAN OTHERS.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, FOR SOME REASON ZEBIBA FORMS MORE FREQUENTLY IN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES. I'VE ONLY SEEN MEN HERE WITH ZEBIBA. JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, I SAW A MAN WITH A HUGE BUMP STICKING OUT ON HIS FOREHEAD. PREVIOUSLY I HAD JUST SEEN THE DARKENED AREA ON MEN'S FOREHEADS.
THE MEN IN THIS POST ARE NOT SAUDI. THEY ARE ALL FOREIGN WORKERS.
NOT ZEBIBA
LINKING TO - ALL SEASONS