The name Nubian was given to the original inhabitants of Nubia, a thin settlement along the Nile River in southern Egypt. Most of that region was submerged by the flooding of the Aswan High Dam in 1964, and thousands of Nubian were relocated to an area in Komombo called New Nubia.

For many years, foreign conquerors and traders passed through Nubia, sometimes settling and intermarrying with the Nubian. The Arabs, who invaded much of North Africa in the seventh and eleventh centuries, displaced some Nubian groups and absorbed others. As a result, nearly 390,000 Nubian are now "Arabized," influenced by the Arab culture, language, and religion. Though they share the same origin as their Nubian neighbors, most Arabized Nubian have adopted the lifestyle of the Egyptian Arab, and today, some people consider them an Arab group. These Arabized Nubian live east of Komombo in Aswan and speak an Arabic dialect called Masri.

What Are Their Lives Like?
The land in which the Arabized Nubian live is low-lying, fertile, and suitable for cultivation because of its proximity to the Nile River. Millet, wheat, barley, beans, dates, and watermelons are raised for both household consumption and some trade. One of the basic staples of the diet is dura, a thin, coarse bread eaten by the Bedouin Arabs. Pieces of the bread are piled on top of one another and eaten with vegetables and sauces. Although most of the Arabized Nubian are farmers, many have found jobs in the cities as teachers, government workers, seamstresses, and retailers.

Most of the Arabized Nubian are peasants who live in villages in rural areas. Their houses are simple, round dwellings with grass-thatched roofs. Just as the original Arabs lived a nomadic life, some Arabized Nubian also seasonally migrate with their herds. These live in temporary camps, with dome-shaped shelters made of branches covered with grass. The Arabized Nubian dress in a fashion similar to other Arabs. Long-sleeved cotton tunics, or djellabas, are worn with sandals and cotton turbans or caps.

Family honor is important to the Arabized Nubian. Each member of a family has a defined role, according to Arab tradition. The Arabized Nubian find shelter in the family during times of economic hardship and in old age. Children are a great asset to the village, as they provide the work force and security for the future. When young people leave to work in the towns or cities, the family's socio-economic system is often weakened.

The birth of children, especially boys, is cause for celebration among the Arabized Nubian. The first word a baby hears is the word "Allah" whispered in its ear. Boys and girls are raised together during early childhood, yet receive different treatment. Boys are given much affection and are pampered by their mothers, while girls, though shown some affection, are not pampered. The father is a stern disciplinarian to both boys and girls. Boys help their fathers and older brothers in the fields and are taught to obey and respect older males. Girls help their mothers cook and help care for the younger children.

Life for the Arabized Nubian centers around important ceremonies, such as birth, marriage, death, and the first haircut and circumcision for boys. The most elaborate of all ceremonies is the marriage ceremony. Most men have more than one wife, but under Islamic law, they cannot have more than four.

What are their beliefs?
The Arabized Nubian are totally Muslim, following the teachings of the prophet Mohammed, as written in the Koran. To the Muslim, Islam provides hope for a better life after death. The mosque is the center of worship, where mostly men go to pray. If the women go to the mosque, they must pray in the back of the building.

What are their needs?
The great majority of the Arabized Nubian have not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. Prayer is the key to breaking the stronghold of Islam over their lives.

Prayer Points
Ask the Lord to send laborers into Egypt to minister the love of Jesus to the Arabized Nubian.
Pray that evangelical literature in the Masri language will be made available to the Arabized Nubian.
Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Arabized Nubian through dreams and visions.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Arabized Nubian to the Gospel message.
Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Arabized Nubian who will profess Jesus as Lord.
Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Arabized Nubian bound.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through intercession.
Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Arabized Nubian.