Arab in Ethiopia

Introduction / History

The Arabs made their presence known in the 600s when Mohammed and his armies stormed out of the Arabic Peninsula into the Middle East, North Africa and eventually into the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Arabs went from being mostly desert nomads to becoming the most powerful empire in the West. Their momentum continued until they were repelled at the gates of Vienna, Austria in 1683.

As the Arabs expanded, local peoples became Arabized. This meant they spoke Arabic and identified with Arab culture. A significant characteristic of the Arab Empire was its close association with Islam. Most of these new Arabs became Islamized, though the traditional Christian churches remained in parts of the Middle East such as Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. In the early 21st century Arabic was still the fifth most spoken language worldwide.

Though most Arabic speakers are in North Africa, the Middle East, and especially in the Arabian Peninsula where the language started, there is a large Arab diaspora. In general, those from the Arabian Peninsula are almost entirely Muslim while those from the Levant have a Christian minority. The Levant includes Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Palestine. They speak Levantine Arabic. A disproportionate number of them flee their homelands because of Muslim Arab persecution. Such Arabs live in various parts of Europe such as Austria, Bulgaria and Luxembourg. They are represented in Africa in Ethiopia and Egypt and the Latin American countries of Chile, Ecuador, Cuba, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In Ethiopia, most Arabs are from the Levant countries. They have a higher Christian population than people from other parts of the Arabic-speaking world. There has been a traditional Coptic church since long before the advent of Islam.

Muslim Arabs in the diaspora preserve cultural traditions such as how they name their children. It is customary for an Arab child's name to reflect the three dominant elements of Arab life: kin, home, and religion. Thus, a boy might have a name such as "Mohammad ibn Ibrahim al Hamza." "Mohammad" represents his religious name. "Ibn Ibrahim" is his father's name. "Al Hamza" means that he is from the village of Hamza. Girls are given similar names, which they keep even after marriage. This reflects the Muslim Arab tradition that even though women are subservient to men, they retain their identities, separate legal rights, and family ties.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Mohammed first preached the tenets of Islam to the Arabs in the 600s. His successors quickly spread the word of Allah far and wide. Wherever Arabs went, they left the Islamic religion. The historical link between Arabs and the Islamic religion is still strong.

There were places where Islamic Arab armies encountered traditional Christians. They have retained their religion, which often focuses on ethnicity more than Christ. It’s difficult to get traditional Christians to put all their faith in Jesus Christ rather than an institution.

What Are Their Needs?

Arabs in Ethiopia need love and unconditional acceptance by Christians who will love them into Christ’s kingdom.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in Arab families, drawing them to the throne of grace.
Pray for Arab Muslims to crave the forgiveness and unconditional love of the Lord.
Pray for Arab Muslims to have such a need for spiritual growth that they are willing to embrace Christ no matter what they face.
Pray for Arab disciplers who will disciple others.

Text Source:   Joshua Project