Arab, Saudi - Najdi in United States

People Name:	Arab, Saudi - Najdi
Country:	United States
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	6,100
World Population:	18,511,400
Primary Language:	Arabic, Najdi
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Portions
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Arab, Arabian
Affinity Bloc:	Arab World
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Najdi is one of the key Arabic languages spoken in Saudi Arabia. Those who speak this language originated in central Saudi Arabia. It is closer to classical Arabic than almost any other Arabic language, so it carries prestige.
The first Saudis who settled in the US did so during WWII when the US was becoming dependent on Saudi oil for the war effort. They were usually personnel from the Saudi embassy in Washington DC.
After the war, some Saudis came to the US to study at American universities. As Saudi Arabia developed their own network of universities, student enrolment in the US dropped.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There are not many Saudis who have settled in the United States, but the few who live there are scattered. There are only a couple of states with more than 200 Saudi nationals. For this reason, Najdi speakers undoubtedly socialize with other Saudis and others with a similar culture. There are few Saudis in the US for a couple of reasons. Saudi Arabia has a high standard of living, so they are not motivated to leave for that reason. Secondly, they usually feel much more comfortable in an Islamic cultural setting which America does not provide. Few Saudis have married Americans; they usually find a spouse from Saudi Arabia or a similar country. Finally, since Saudi Arabia has a stable government, there are few political refugees.
Saudis have established the Islamic Society of North America to help Saudi Americans find Muslim wives. The Saudi government has funded and established the Islamic Saudi Academy to educate their children in the Saudi Islamic way.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Saudis are among the world's most staunch Sunni Muslims. They regard themselves as the guardians of Islam, since the holiest sites in Islam are in their country. They have the most to gain from the spread of Islam, and the most to lose if Islam loses it's clout. For this reason, there are very few Saudi Arabs who stray from Sunni Islam.

What Are Their Needs?

Saudis in the US need to open their hearts and minds to the fact they cannot be in good standing with God apart from the only Savior, Jesus Christ. There are difficulties in reaching them, but this might be the opportunity God is providing for Saudis to find the Lord.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Najdi Arabs to have a hunger and thirst for righteousness that will drive them to find the Prince of Peace.
Pray for the Lord to reach Najdi Arabs through dreams and visions.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out hearty disciples, who will show Najdi Arabs the way to the cross and the empty grave.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Najdi Arabs in the United States.