Arab, Hadrami in Yemen

Introduction / History

Though most of the Muslim peoples of the Arabian Peninsula speak Arabic and have similar ancestry and dress, they are not all one people. Among the two million inhabitants of Hadhramaut, there are 1,300 distinct Arab tribes!

What Are Their Lives Like?

Unity among the Hadrami people is not very strong. Antagonism between townsfolk and wandering tribesmen has been so bitter that the towns are surrounded by stone walls to protect them from attack by their tribal countrymen.
Many Hadramis still practice the nomadic lifestyle of their ancient ancestors. But today approximately half of the Hadramis live in the towns and villages scattered through the deep valleys of their region. Even among these settled peoples, there are sharp distinctions, the highest social prestige belonging to the wealthy, educated Sadahs, who claim to be direct descendants of Muhammed. Hadramis rarely marry outside their own social level, and often live in segregated groups in separate parts of town. There is no national church for any of the people groups in South Yemen.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Hadrami Arabs are Sunni Muslims who believe that the 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?

The Hadrami Arabs need clean water and better medical care.

Prayer Points

Pray for spiritual discernment among the Hadrami Arabs in Yemen.
Pray for workers who are driven by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Pray that the Hadrami people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.
Pray for a movement to Christ that will bless them with spiritual wholeness for eternity!

Text Source:   Joshua Project