When attending an invitation to a meal in one of the Western Asian nations, such as the United Arab Emirates or Iran, one may very well be afforded the luxury of being served dinner on the floor. At mealtimes, some families prefer to set aside the dining table and chairs, and instead seat themselves on a rug or carpet, gathering around the dish of the day. <br><br>Hospitality is a central tenet of Western Asian and Islamic philosophy, and an elaborate meal offers the opportunity to bestow generosity. Festive meals are thus a social matter of great importance, often attended by many friends and relatives. For these elaborate affairs, an arrangement without a Western-style dining set is useful, taking up less space, and encouraging the communal spirit by keeping people closer together.<br><br>In the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, mosques often arrange for the evening meal (called <em>iftar</em>) to be laid out on the ground outside, where people of all stature sit side-by-side, breaking their fast together.<br><br>In a society that places a high value on collectivism, it is not hard to see how the practice may have originated. The nomadic roots of the people, the close family ties, intergenerational households, and the strong social bonds within the wider community may all have contributed.<br>