Arab, Egyptian in United Arab Emirates

Introduction / History

Ancient Egypt was one of the world's great civilizations. Dynasties of pharaohs ruled Egypt from 3200 B.C. to 341 B.C. Egypt fell to the Persian Arab Muslim conquest in 640 A.D. Arabs, who introduced Islam and the Arabic language to Egypt in the seventh century, ruled for the next six centuries. Ottoman Turks conquered the country in 1517.
Egypt is the most rapidly growing country in the Arab world. With limited arable land and overtaxed resources, Egyptian society is stressed. For that reason, there is an Egyptian diaspora that has migrated to other parts of the world. Migration from Egypt mainly started in the 1970s and 1980s. Before that, the few who migrated were from well-educated communities. After that time, poor Egyptians have moved to the West (Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand) as workers. Those who have migrated to Arabic-speaking countries like the United Arab Emirates have done so intending to return to Egypt. The UAE is one of their top destinations for temporary work.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In times of unrest and economic hardship in Egypt, workers migrate in search of a better future. They often work on building sites, and in factories, restaurants and shops. A smaller number are engineers, architects, designers or other professionals. Egyptians in the UAE are more family-oriented than their hosts. Since entire Egyptian families seldom move to the UAE together, they form surrogate families with other Egyptians where they can share their unique humor. Egyptians, especially the older ones, like to spend time together at coffee shops playing board games and watching televised soccer matches. There are enough Egyptians in the UAE that they can enjoy Egyptian style food at their own restaurants along with their own movies and TV shows.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Islam became the state religion of Egypt in 1980. The majority of Egyptian Arabs are either Shafi, Maliki or Hanafi Sunni Muslim. Most Egyptians in the UAE are Sunni Muslims.
Copts brought Christianity to Egypt very early, where it remained for 1,000 years as the primary religion. Even today, the great majority of the Christian population are still members of the Coptic Church. Evangelical Christians are a small percentage of Egyptians in the UAE.

What Are Their Needs?

Many have experienced poverty in Egypt, which has prompted migration, and placed them at greater risk of exploitation.
Those who follow Christ must have love and boldness to be a witness to other Egyptians. With a growing missionary vision, the Egyptian Church has the potential to reach both fellow Egyptians and Arabic speaking people groups in other countries for Christ. The Church is limited by lack of training opportunities, experience and funds. If additional resources are provided, church planters are willing to go.

Prayer Points

Pray that Egyptian Christ followers would become a mighty missionary movement for the Lord in the UAE.
Pray for Egyptian Arabs to have spiritual hunger and a discernment that will lead them to the cross and the empty grave.
Pray for Egyptian Arab Christians to put their faith in the Risen Christ rather any religious institution.

Text Source:   Joshua Project