Shisha is thought to have originated in India and Persia, gained in popularity during the years of the Ottoman Empire, and then spread across the Arab world. The earliest shisha was smoked in a coconut shell. The modern shisha water pipe works by water filtration and indirect heat, and is used for smoking flavored tobaccos.

The tobacco comes in a variety of flavors such as apple, grape, and strawberry, and is meant to be shared with everyone at the table, usually over an afternoon coffee or following a nighttime meal. Politics, religion, and other social matters are often discussed over the calming influence of shisha. People may sit for hours chatting and smoking this aromatic pipe.