Are marriages arranged?
This is very rare, except among the most recent immigrants. Remember that most Arab Americans were born here, and that they frequently marry people from other cultures. In the case where a marriage is arranged, a parent may recommend someone from another family or from the country of origin, but the child is not forced to marry that person. More typically, couples meet and ask their families’ approval before getting engaged, or make their own decision and then tell their families. 43. Do Arab Americans prefer to marry each other? As with many people, in-group marriage may be encouraged as a way to preserve heritage, but Arabs and non-Arabs frequently marry one other. Religious differences among Arab Americans, in fact, may make it more desirable to marry a non-Arab of similar religious background than an Arab of a different religion. 44. Are there any Arab conventions for naming children? Muslims often name their children after prophets in the Quran. ShiÕa Muslims sometimes use Ali as
