Sudanese Arab in Eritrea


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Sudan obtained its independence from Britain and Egypt in 1956. Unfortunately, since that time Sudan has experienced a series of civil wars, revolutions, ethnic cleansings, genocides, droughts, famines, and wars with surrounding African countries. As a result, many Sudanese Arabs have left their homeland in search of a better life. Starting in the eighth century over a period of one thousand years, the inhabitants of northern and central Sudan gradually became Muslims. This Arabization of the population took place by military conquest and trade. The various ethno-linguistic groups of Sudan adopted Arabic as their first language and converted to Islam. These peoples make up the Sudanese Arabs of today.


What Are Their Lives Like?

To escape the violence and economic disruptions in their land some Sudanese Arabs moved to Ethiopia and Eritrea. After a three decades fighting, Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Since November 2020 the Tigray people of Ethiopia have been fighting an insurrection against the Ethiopian government. The Eritrean regime has supported the Ethiopians knowing that if the Ethiopian Tigray people win independence that the Eritrean Tigray will follow. It is easy for the Sudanese Arabs to be caught in the middle of such conflicts.
Eritrea lies along the Red Sea coast of Northeast Africa. It is a multi-ethnic nation with nine recognized people groups. Even though Eritrean has a majority Christian population, Muslims are permitted to practice their faith. Most Eritreans are involved in agriculture. They grow barley, wheat, peanuts, fruit, and vegetables. Animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and camels are raised for their milk, hides and meat. Fishing on the Red Sea also provides income. Most Sudanese Arabs in Eritrea fall into the lower middle class. They own shops, work in trade and mining. Eritrea has gold, silver, copper, zinc and potash deposits.
The Sudanese Arabs speak their own dialect of Sudanese Arabic at home. Eritrean has nine national languages including Arabic and English. Italian is still spoken by some older people as Eritrean was an Italian colony until WW2. English in used in universities and in technical fields. The man is the head of the home in Sudanese families. Children, especially boys, are seen as blessing from Allah. Traditionally, Sudanese women stayed home to take care of children while the husband worked. This is changing as more Sudanese women gain more education.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Almost all Sudanese Arabs are Muslims, most being Sunni, the largest brand of Islam. Their Islam is often mixed with folk religion and animism. Sunnis try to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad. Sunnis believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, using deceit, slandering, and making idols. A Muslim man may have up to four wives.
The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah.


What Are Their Needs?

All Eritreans need a just and lasting peace from the Tigray rebellion. Most Sudanese Arabs have never heard a clear presentation of the good news about Isa or Jesus. Jesus is vastly more than the human prophet! Rural Sudanese in Eritrea would benefit from teams of believers bringing modern medicine and improved agricultural methods.  


Prayer Points

Pray for a lasting peace in Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea. Pray that the tiny group of Sudanese Arab believers would be encouraged and strengthened in the faith. Pray that Sudanese parents would be able to meet the needs of their children. Pray that Sudanese Arabs would tune into Christian TV and radio broadcasts. Pray for a Disciple Making Movement among the Sudanese Arabs in Eritrean in this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the Arab, Sudanese in Eritrea.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Arab, Sudanese
People Name in Country Arab, Sudanese
Natural Name Sudanese Arab
Pronunciation soo-dun-EEZ AE-rub
Alternate Names Arabic, Sudanese Spoken; Sudanese; Sudanese Arab
Population this Country 34,000
Population all Countries 18,263,000
Total Countries 19
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 15104
ROP3 Code 109571
ROP25 Code 300419
ROP25 Name Arab, Sudanese
Country Eritrea
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 4  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Anseba and Gash Barka regions: possibly Asmara and other urban communities.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Eritrea
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 4  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Anseba and Gash Barka regions: possibly Asmara and other urban communities..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.10 %)
2.00 %
Ethnic Religions
5.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
92.00 %
Non-Religious
1.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Arabic, Sudanese
Language Code apd   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Western Sudanese
Dialect Code 7151   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Arabic, Sudanese
Language Code apd   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Western Sudanese
Dialect Code 7151   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Arabic, Sudanese

Primary Language:  Arabic, Sudanese

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1927-1964)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1978-2022)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Arabic Bible Online Arabic Bible Outreach Ministry
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Arabic, Sudanese Spoken Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Arabic, Sudanese Spoken YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Arabic, Sudanese Spoken YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Photo Source David Haberlah - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source Hans van der Splinter  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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