Europeans fascinated by Arab ‘bidet shower’ at World Cup, call for it back home
Europeans fascinated by Arab ‘bidet shower’ at World Cup, call for it back home
After Serbian YouTuber David Vujanić used a hand-held bidet shower at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where it is known by the Arabic word “shatafa”, he praised it on social media and declared his desire for it to be used in Europe. The bidet shower has become a hot topic among social media users, as many Westerners are using it for the first time at the tournament, while it has been a mainstay of Middle Eastern culture.
Some Europeans were impressed with the bidet show and called for having them installed in their homes, while Arabs and Muslims voiced their pride in using this hygienic tool.
“Been using the toilet bum shower thing in qatar for a month…I am absolutely horrified we only use toilet paper in the Uk/Europe. This is the best thing ever man,” Vujanić posted on Twitter on December 14.
He compared it with the bidet used in France but preferred the Qatari one, which he said is “a simple high pressure shower head, more functional and easily adaptable. Will be investing when back in London. My bum is very thankful.”
Vujanić then announced that he would be a sponsor of “Shatafa Ultras” when he goes back to London, saying on his Twitter account, “I want this image printed on a T Shirt…im now the self proclaimed founder of the Shatafa Ultras group…bum shower fanatics let’s gooo.”
His posts spread on Twitter and Facebook with tremendous reactions. Some European users called it a “Muslim shower” because they found them in Muslim countries. Meanwhile, Arab users said that they “are suffering” when they go to European countries and don’t find toilet showers but papers instead, saying that is why they had to bring their own portable shatafa.
“I had created my own invention when moved to Switzerland from Dubai last year, couldn’t live without my lovely Shatafa 😍😆 this is standard for any Arab Muslim ppl,” Mahmoud Elghadban said on his account on December 15.
Vujanić is not the only European citizen impressed with the bidet shower. User “#BinJin Love Is…..Destiny | Baby Kim is here” said on her Twitter account on December 7 that she missed the “bum shower” that she was using in Dubai “more than Christmas,” wondering why it is not used in the UK.
https://twitter.com/writer_liltash/status/1600275804608696320
The majority of Arab and Muslim people use water to clean themselves after using the toilet, as it is religiously recommended to do so; however, in Islam, using paper, leather, cotton, or pieces of cloth is permissible.
Bidet showers are frequently used by peoples in the Middle East, as well as some European and Asian countries, instead of or after using toilet paper, while they are not common in many Western countries, such as the United States, UK and Germany, where only toilet paper is typically used.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, several European countries like Germany and the United States witnessed a panic buying of toilet paper in 2020, causing a toilet paper shortage.
However, bidet showers were found as an alternative to paper. Several US citizens installed bidet showers for their own toilets and shared their experiences. As a result, bidet shower sales sharply increased.
In the US, citizens voiced their happiness with having this type of cleaning tool. “So I thought, even without coronavirus panic, a bidet would just save a lot of space, money, and time,” Jibran Malek, 27 years old, in Boston told Wired in a story published on March 17, 2020, adding, “It was probably the best decision I've ever made.”
