NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non-verbal communication is another way to communicate among the member of community. This kind of communication usually used when oral communication can’t work well. One community has different non-verbal communication with other community. My community is the activist of propagation of faith in Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Keluarga Muslim Ilmu Budaya (KMIB).
Five examples of non-verbal communication here are:
1. Strong hand shaking and hug between two people (man with man or woman with woman) means giving spirit.
2. Nod. Woman nods her head when she meets a man means she greets him.
3. Smile. if one person is riding a bike or motorcycle and she meets another person with big veil, she will smile to her. It means she greets her and that smile replaces “Assalamu’alaikum”.
4. Man doesn’t look woman eyes when they speak means he respects her.
5. If man and woman walk to the same point in the same time, the man will stay for a moment. It means he ask that woman to go first. After she passes that point, the man just goes.
We use non-verbal communication everywhere and every time we meet or interact. When we arrange a meeting, in a discussion, or when we meet in the street. This is one way to limit unnecessary communication between men and women, because in Islam we have to be careful in the interaction to the opposite sex in order not to against the law of syariat.
My friend from Australia said that non-verbal communication in her country is not separated between men and women. They use the same non-verbal communication everywhere including the public space. Their show sour face expression when they get angry. In the professional relation, woman do everything just same like men to show the equality between her ability and man’s ability in the work. Her hand shaking, her way of speaking and walking, are almost the same with men.
According to my friend, she feels difficult enough to keep the communication by oral communication or non-verbal communication in Australia. Although she is a Moslem, her friends especially men, can’t keep the distance between her body and his body when they are speaking. She also difficult enough keep the eye contact between them. In Australia, people usually behave and communicate in casual way and doing something freely like kissing or hugging even in the public places.