There are many public holidays in Iran, and Iranians enjoy a whopping 25 days off just for them each year. It may sound nice to be the world leader in public holidays, but there has been concern over the past 30 years that the abundance of holidays may hurt the Iranian economy in its efforts to be relevant internationally. To make matters worse, different unofficial holidays are added to the list every year.
A significant portion of the Iranian holidays are religious and commemorate the birth or death of several Shi’a Imams. The country uses three different official calendar systems, the Solar Hijri calendar, the Gregorian calendar, and the Islamic lunar calendar and the holidays take place according to the lunar calendar. Therefore, the locals have a hard time figuring out exactly when the holidays take place each year and enlist the help of a Muslim cleric who helps calculate the dates for each
Temporary Marriages
Since 2012, the government of Iran has allowed the Iranian people to practice Sigheh, a form of short-term marriage. If people are not sure they are ready for a lifelong commitment, they can try out marriage on a trial basis.
The practice is only allowed in some Shia schools under Sharia Law and can have a duration of anything between just a few hours to several years, all depending on the contract. Many young Iranian couples prefer not to engage in the custom and it is mostly used by young Muslim males who are undertaking a pilgrimage to holy shrines and are away from their families for some time.
No Ties
Ties may not be illegal in Iran, but they are certainly frowned upon. For the past four decades, since the revolution of 1979, ties have become taboo. The Iranians consider the tie to be too closely associated with the West and no one would even consider wearing one to a job interview.
Typical business wear in Iran does include a suit, but it is worn tie-less. The other type of popular clothing is traditional Islamic garb. The Iranian leadership believes that simple garments promote equality because they don’t distinguish between different ethnicities or societal classes. This is also true for women of all ages, who must wear a head covering known as a hijab from the age of nine. That includes foreign women who are visiting the country.
The Biggest Carpet in the World
Due to its affinity for rug making, it is hardly a surprise that Iran has also created the biggest hand-woven carpet in the world. This enormous rug is roughly the size of a soccer field and was created in 2007 by the Iran Carpet Company specifically to be placed in the Abu Dhabi mosque in the United Arab Emirates.
It was made up of nine separate pieces and then put together in the mosque itself. The carpet measures a massive 60,600.81 ft² (5,630 m²). The original carpet was even larger, but some pieces were removed to ensure that the final product fit the mosque floor exactly.
Traditional Music
Some Persians may like to rock out, but the cultural elite enjoy the more traditional type of classical music the country has to offer. The music dates back to medieval times and it is not so much entertainment as a type of spiritual tool.
The musical system is made up of twelve modal units that are divided into small melodic units and ranges between improvisation and composition. Many of the pieces are connected to poetic Persian writings and they can vary widely in rhythm and intensity during the performance. The vocalist plays an important role in the tone of the composition because he or she portrays the feeling of the piece and decides what to perform and may even decide on the lyrics.