Who the Saudi Arab are
Saudi Arabs are the citizens of Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and Medina, the holiest sites of Islam. Islam is the foundation of national identity and law, and there is no public church for Saudi citizens.
There are Saudi followers of Jesus, but they live their faith in secret, and leaving Islam carries severe consequences. Arabic Scripture, satellite broadcasts and online resources reach into the country, and Saudis travelling and studying abroad meet Christians in ways that are impossible at home.
Signs of hope
Arabic Scripture and media that reach into homes, and Saudis abroad who meet believers freely.
The honest difficulty
No public church, severe consequences for leaving Islam, and believers who must remain hidden.
What "Frontier" means
Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian.
This describes access to the Gospel, not the worth of a people or the sincerity of anyone's faith.
How to pray for the Saudi Arab
Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.
- Pray for secret Saudi believers, for courage, wisdom and fellowship.
- Pray for Saudis studying and working abroad to meet followers of Jesus.
- Ask God to speak through Arabic Scripture and media.
- Pray for freedom of conscience in Saudi Arabia.
Where the Saudi Arab live
Each nation profile carries church size, unreached peoples, what is going well, what is hard, and four prayer points.
Questions people ask about the Saudi Arab
Who are the Saudi Arab people?
The Saudi Arab (also called Najdi, Hejazi Arab) are a people group of roughly 20 million, living mainly in Saudi Arabia. They speak Arabic and are predominantly Islam (Sunni). The people of Islam's heartland, where no public church exists — and where believers meet only in secret. Population figures for people groups vary considerably by source and by how a group is defined.
Are the Saudi Arab an unreached people group?
The Saudi Arab are classified as frontier. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 follow Jesus, and there is no indigenous movement large enough to grow on its own. Most people in this group will never meet a Christian. Scripture status: Full Bible in Arabic.
How can I pray for the Saudi Arab?
Pray for secret Saudi believers, for courage, wisdom and fellowship. Pray for Saudis studying and working abroad to meet followers of Jesus. Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.