ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mashrabiya

Mashrabiya is a fancy name for a special kind of window in buildings in the Middle East. They are like holes in the wall that let light and air come in, but they're not just any old windows! They're extra special because they have these really pretty designs made out of wood, and they make buildings look super beautiful.

People started making these kinds of windows really long time ago, like hundreds and hundreds of years ago. They used to make them by hand using special tools, but now machines do most of the work. The designs on the mashrabiya are very important because they tell stories about the people who built and lived in the building.

Some people say that the mashrabiya are like secret windows because when you look through them, you can see outside, but people outside can't see inside. This is super helpful when you want to have some privacy and security inside your home. It's like a superpower that buildings in the Middle East have!

So, basically, mashrabiya are like really cool and fancy windows that make buildings look beautiful and also help protect people's privacy.