People group profile · PG046419
The Saudi Arabs of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabs of Saudi Arabia, numbering about 13,000,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Arabic-speaking people of the Arabian Peninsula whose cultural identity is rooted in tribal history, Islamic traditions, and strong kinship networks.
They are an indigenous people in the Arab, Arabian people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Najdi Arabic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Population
- 13,000,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Arab, Arabian
- Primary language
- Najdi Arabic (ars)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
- Location
- Widespread, especially interior areas; includes Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Qasim, and Ha’il provinces; Al Madinah al Munawwarah province: Ta’if area and east; Ash Sharqiyah province north; Ar Riyad province: all but southeast; ’Asir and Najran
Where they live
Gospel status
The Saudi Arabs are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Saudi Arabs
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
90% adherents
Primary language
Najdi Arabic · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Najdi Arabic
Gospel resources in Najdi Arabic
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- The Savior (Arabic, Najdi)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Saudi Arabs
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Arab, Najdi in other countries
The same people (ROP3 101196) is reported in 4 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabs | Kuwait | 382,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Najdi Arabs | United States | 79,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Saudi Arabs | Oman | 60,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Saudi Arabs | Canada | 20,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.