Egyptian culture The culture of Egypt has thousands of years of recorded history. Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations in the world. For millennia, Egypt developed strikingly unique, complex and stable cultures that influenced other cultures of Eur ...

, a ''khatba'' ( ar, خاطب) is a (traditionally female) professional

mediator Mediator may refer to: *A person who engages in mediation * Business mediator, a mediator in business * Vanishing mediator, a philosophical concept * Mediator variable, in statistics Chemistry and biology *Mediator (coactivator), a multiprotein ...

broker A broker is a person or firm who arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller for a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal. Neither role should be con ...

of relationships, who is hired to help in finding a suitable marriage partner. Traditionally, a young person would make use of the services of a khatba when their family and friends were unable to find a suitable mate. Their services are especially necessary outside of Egypt's large cities, in more traditional

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ma ...

areas, where male and female youths are not permitted to mingle freely. In these areas, khatbas are typically paid for their services with non-monetary goods or services, such as gifts or favors. In popular media, khatbas are often represented as modestly-dressed middle-aged women, who carry photographs of marriageable youths to display to their clients. Although they are considered a stereotypical figure of the 1940s to mid-1960s, many modern Egyptian youth still employ khatbas in one form or another. As of 2013, less than one out of every hundred married Egyptian youth report meeting their partner through a khatba.

References

{{Reflist Society of Egypt Marriage Matchmaking

See also

References