People group profile · PG046680
The Gulf Arabs of Saudi Arabia
The Gulf Arabs of Saudi Arabia, numbering about 583,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Arab people of the Arabian Gulf who speak Gulf Arabic and share a cultural heritage shaped by tribal traditions, kinship networks, maritime commerce, and the historical societies of eastern Arabia.
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 Gulf Arabic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Population
- 583,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Arab, Arabian
- Primary language
- Gulf Arabic (afb)
- 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
Where they live
Gospel status
The Gulf 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 Gulf 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
95% adherents
Primary language
Gulf Arabic · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Gulf Arabic
Gospel resources in Gulf Arabic
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Arabic Gulf)
- JESUS (Arabic Gulf)
- Magdalena (Arabic Gulf)
- The Savior (Arabic Gulf)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Gulf Arabs
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Arab, Gulf Sunni in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100427) is reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf Bedouins | Egypt | 1,830,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | United Arab Emirates | 1,355,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Kuwaiti Sunni Arabs | Kuwait | 1,220,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | Iran | 944,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | Oman | 888,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | Qatar | 393,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | Canada | 61,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | United States | 49,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Gulf Arabs | Yemen | 23,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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