Introduction / History

Algerian people have suffered very much in their history from French colonial exploitation to wars of liberation and civil wars. Algerians have migrated to Egypt where agriculture still employs almost one-third of the nation, and cities are expanding.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Algerian people in Egypt are tightly knit Muslims in a closed society. They naturally do not accept feedback from Christians, so reaching this spiritually needy people will be a challenge, but not for Almighty God who loves these people.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Algerian Arabs are Sunni Muslims who believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship. 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. Sunni religious practices are staid and simple. They believe that Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will. In most of the Muslim world, people depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. They often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.

What Are Their Needs?

Muslim Arabs, be they Egyptian or Algerian, need a close relationship with Jesus Christ, the one who came that they may have life to the full. They keep Christ at a distance through works righteousness.

Prayer Items

Pray for the Lord to be the provider for their physical and spiritual needs. Pray for a movement to Jesus to multiply among Algerian families and neighborhoods. Pray for Holy Spirit led workers among the Algerians in Egypt. Pray for the Algerian Arabs to give all their allegiance and thanks to the King of kings.

Scripture Prayers for the Algerian, Arabic-speaking in Egypt.