Sudanese Arabs originated in the Khartoum region of Sudan many centuries ago. Today, they live primarily in northern and central Sudan and in Egypt. A few groups are also scattered in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Libya, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates.
The first "pure" Arabs were called "Bedouins." They were tribal nomads from Saudi Arabia, famous for their love of poetry and war. The Sudanese are a tribe who branched off of the Bedouins. They are a heterogeneous people with a mixture of diverse blood and cultures. They are more likely to be the results of marriages between Arabs and sub-Saharan Africans than other Arab groups.
Since 1983, conflict between the predominately north Arab and southern animist and Christian regions of the Sudan has accounted for more than two million deaths. Also tragic are the atrocities to non-Arab African groups on the Western Sudan/Chad border in the region of Darfur. Killings, mass rapes, looting of livestock and burning of villages by the Arab militia, Janjaweed, have devastated the area. For this reason, millions of Sudanese (including Arabs) have needed to leave, either to safer parts of Sudan or to other countries like Lebanon.
Millions have fled as war refugees through the years. Some stay temporarily while others are permanent. Refugees and asylum seekers among them don't have the right to work, and they can easily be deported.
In the Arab culture, children are considered to be a family's greatest asset, providing both workers and security for the parents as they grow older. Although boys and girls may be raised together when they are young, they are treated differently. Mothers show great affection towards the boys, pampering them and responding to their every wish. Girls are shown some affection but are not pampered. Boys are taught by their fathers to obey and respect older males. Girls are taught the values of obedience to their future husbands. Teenagers are not permitted to have any contact with the opposite sex until after marriage.
Sudanese Arabs are Sunni Muslims, as are most Arabs. Identification with the Islamic religion is one of the primary cultural characteristics of most Arabs. They are devoted to their faith.
While the men gather in the local mosque for prayer, women meet in homes and have their own religious services, conducted by female religious leaders. Only on certain occasions are the women permitted inside the mosques.
According to Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives. Rules concerning marriage and divorce are held in accordance to what is written in the Koran. Regulations regarding inheritance, taxation, wartime, submission to those in authority, and the roles of family members can also be found there.
Sudanese Arabs live in a country engulfed by tension, terror, and war. Those who have fled usually do so to save their very lives. They need safety. Spiritually, Sudanese Arabs need to hear about the saving power of Jesus.
Pray for additional Bibles and Christian literature to be provided and placed.
Ask God to give peace to Sudanese Arabs in Lebanon.
Pray that God will raise up long term workers who will help meet their physical and spiritual needs.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will complete the work begun in their hearts through adequate discipleship.
Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Sudanese Arabs for the glory of his name.
Scripture Prayers for the Arab, Sudanese in Lebanon.
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/11/25/sudanese-asylum-seekers-in-lebanon-plead-for-evacuation
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
