‘Coup Today, Gone Tomorrow’ and Other Hilarious #FakeArabProverbs · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

“When in Beirut, do as the Parisians do,” tweets Khaled Bey under #FakeArabProverbs. Photo by Charbel Torbey. Copyright Demotix
Reading about the Middle East can be upsetting or tiresome. To help alleviate your pain, Arab Twitter users have launched the satirical #FakeArabProverbs campaign.
Echoing the dark humor of the #PalestinianPickUpLines of last year, #FakeArabProverbs broadened its range to include lighter topics as well, such as marriage, food, family and the usual stereotypes associated with the Middle East and North Africa.
So sit back and enjoy. We hope that these pearls of Arabian ‘wisdom’ brighten your day.
Hend from ‘@LibyaLiberty‘ started it with the following tweet:
Such troubling times in the Middle East…now is the time to understand our world and find wisdom in the eternal words of #FakeArabProverbs
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) November 10, 2014
The following is a hilarious selection of some of the best ones:
Fortune favors the bearded #FakeArabProverbs
— Faisal Khan (@fmkhan1) November 10, 2014
When in Beirut, do as the Parisians do. #FakeArabProverbs
— Khaled Bey (@KhaledBeydoun) November 10, 2014
The darkest hour is before the drone. #FakeArabProverbs
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) November 10, 2014
The extremer the merrier #FakeArabProverbs
— Ang (@Angiegad) November 10, 2014
Two is marriage, three is also marriage that is nonetheless very difficult to explain to immigration officers. #FakeArabProverbs
— hannah draper (@draperha) November 10, 2014
When the going gets tough, the tough form a militia. #FakeArabProverbs
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) November 10, 2014
Coup today. Gone tomorrow. #FakeArabProverbs
— Faizal Goga (@goga) November 10, 2014
Better late than on time. #fakeArabProverbs
— Karl Sharro (@KarlreMarks) November 10, 2014
Good things come to those who discover oil. #FakeArabProverbs.
— Ismail. (@IsmailSakalaki) November 10, 2014
If at first you don't succeed, blame a Zionist conspiracy. #FakeArabProverbs
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) November 10, 2014
Shut up your mouse. #FakeArabProverbs
— Nader | نادر (@BonsaiSky) November 10, 2014
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a kebab lunch and a good nap. #fakeArabProverbs
— Karl Sharro (@KarlreMarks) November 10, 2014
Behind every great man there is anywhere from one to four great women. #FakeArabProverbs
— Hend (@LibyaLiberty) November 10, 2014
For more of these, just follow the hashtag #FakeArabProverbs.