Hospitality in the desert, and by Sinai Bedouins in particular, is the recognition of want; it has grown into a social grace. The stranger who comes to a tent comes, or at least in the old days came, because there was nowhere else to go. To turn a man away was equivalent to murder.

Probably the most outstanding feature of Arab customs is that of generous hospitality. To the Arabs, extending good hospitality is more than just an admirable thing to do--it is a matter of honor and also a sacred duty. The reason for this is that the Arab Bedouins have always lived in a desert environment in which traveling nomads have depended upon each other's hospitality in order to survive thirst, hunger, and sudden raids or enemy attacks. In the course of time, these essentially Bedouin customs of hospitality became common to all Arabs, including villagers and city people. The result of all this is that when an Arab extends hospitality to you, he does it not only to make you, a guest in his country, feel at home, he also does it because his customs and culture require it and it demonstrates his virtue to do so. It is for these reasons that most Arabs you meet will turn out to be very skilled in matters of hospitality.  Hospitality is shown regardless of personal cost and is expected to be returned.

Such a society for its own sake could not afford to be anything but hospitable.

Bedouin hospitality is part of a routine imposed by the desert, and as such has existed from the earliest times. Although Prophet Muhammad, with his characteristically practical sense, might have wished to enforce the routine when he said "whoever believes in God and the day of resurrection must respect his guest," its sanctions is essentially social and not religious.

A guest is always welcome. The Bedouin believe any guest is the Guest of God _ Day'f Allah _ who is warmly welcomed as being specially brought by Allah or God. You will be invited to drink tea or coffee and to accept the Bedouin hospitality. To be nice to this guest is to honour God and in return God will be nice to you. It is not an insult to say No to the tea but you will be even more warmly embraced if you say Yes.

Tea and coffee are the traditional drinks. The tea will inevitably be very sweet and often flavoured with mint or sage or some other locally grown desert herb and served in small glasses. You will also be offered a single mouthful of the original Bedouin coffee which is served in tiny cups and is quite bitter. Coffee is an important symbol of hospitality. Shake the cup to indicate that you do not want a refill.

Bedouins are  well known for their hospitality, so when the guest comes there are three expressions for pouring coffee:

One.  El-Heif:  The first cup to be poured and tasted by the Bedouin person to let the guest feel safe

Two.  El-Keif:  The second cup of coffee to be poured and tasted by the  guest himself.

Three.  El-Dheif (cup of the guest):  The third cup of coffee to be poured. It is drunk by the guest.