Never show an Arab the bottom of your shoes and/or feet?

Governer Bill Richardson of New Mexico was on The Daily Show last week where he told a story about his negotiations with Saddam Hussein years ago for the release of several U.S. Soldiers. During their negotiation Richardson made the mistake of crossing his leg, which exposed the bottom of his shoe to Hussein. Hussein saw this, and abruptly left the room.





An advisor then explained to Richardson that in the Arab culture it is an insult to show anyone the bottom of your shoe.





Does anyone know the details of this interesting cultural fact? What's the meaning of it? Where does it originate? Is the idea that the foot is dirty? Is this an ancient thing? Would two people arguing in, say a market place, ever do this to each other if tempers flared high enough? Is it the Arab equivalent of giving someone the finger?





By the way, Hussein eventually came back and agreed to release the U.S. soldiers.

Never show an Arab the bottom of your shoes and/or feet?
In many middle eastern cultures it's considered a sign of disrespect to show someone the bottoms of your shoes. It's a way of saying "you are beneath me" In fact in ancient times some Arab leaders would paint the mark of their enemy on the bottoms of their sandals as a way of saying they are walking on them.





That is why during the war in Iraq when that statue of Saddam Hussein was knocked over you saw all those Iraqi men and children beating the statue with the bottoms of their shoes.
Reply:Interesting... I've lived in an Arabic country for about 20 years and never knew this :D


Maybe it is only rude in Iraq.
Reply:Well, if someone showed me his/her bottom of their shows, I'll consider it disrespect. I mean I don't think you'll like it when someone does it to you, would you?
Reply:I've never heard of this; its really interesting, but whats even more strange to me is that


one of your answerers ("ty") says they would be disrespected by it, and then gives their source as "USA". Thats whats weirding me out - people cross their legs all the time here, and there isn't anything considered disrespectful if by someone crossing their legs, you happen to catch a view of the bottom of their shoe. Thats ridiculous (not the Arab culture, but the idea that its a bad thing in the usa).
Reply:its a sign of disrespect and frowned upon not just in Arabic cultures
Reply:Interesting, I've never heard this. I have Arabic class today, so I will ask my professor why this is and get back to you :)





* Professor (from Jordan) says yes, in the middle east it is considered rude to show someone the bottom of the foot, even in crossing your legs. He said that he isn't sure why it's that way, there's not any religious significance to it, he compared it to showing people the finger in our society, why is that rude? no one knows. However you won't find people shaking their feet at one another if they are angry in the market place :)



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