Loving Muslims Through Prayer | www.30-days.net » These tags are specific to the 30-Days Muslim prayer focus booklet http://www.30-days.net/muslims 107 Muslim countries, people groups and cities we pray for Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:07:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= The mysterious Lords of the Sahara http://www.30-days.net/muslims/muslims-in/north-african/sahara-tuaregs/ http://www.30-days.net/muslims/muslims-in/north-african/sahara-tuaregs/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:44:53 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/northafrica/sahara-tuaregs/ tuareg-saharaThe Tuareg are often regarded as a mysterious people, and regularly misunderstood by others. Once known as "The Lords of The Sahara", they are still considered fierce and unapproachable by many other tribes. Various factors continue to enhance the mystery that surrounds this people: they have traditionally lived in remote areas surrounding the Sahara Desert, they have managed to survive where others could not, they dress in a way to hide their faces and they have maintained marriages within family lines. The Tuareg appreciate the freedom in the openness of the desert. It is this love of freedom and rejection of the governing authorities that has produced grief for this once proud and vibrant people. Drought and the continuous pressure of outside cultures have brought unwelcome changes to the lives of these nomadic shepherds.

Remoteness

Because many Tuareg are nomadic, it is impossible to know their exact population across the vastness of the Sahara - many different population estimates exist for the Tuareg. This is owing in part to their opposition to being counted as well as their desire to remain in remote areas. Estimates range from 1 to 3 million Tuareg spread throughout parts of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, Algeria, Libya and Nigeria.

The Tuareg speak a language derived from that of the North African Berbers and trace their ancestry back to a region of the Atlas Mountains. Their language is Tamasheq (Tamashek, Tamajaq or Tamahaq), of which there are a number of different dialects. Most Tuareg also speak another African language, depending on the region where they live. Many also know a written alphabet in an ancient Libyan script called Tifinagh or Shifinah.

A majority of researchers believe that the Tuareg were once Christian. Evidence for this includes the traditional names still common among them. Their jewellery and decorations retain symbols that resemble objects of Christian origin. It is unknown when the Tuareg took up Islam, but today it exerts a strong influence on them.

The pressure of change in the past few decades has taken away their perceived freedom. May they find the real freedom that is only available through the true Lord of the desert, Jesus.

Prayer Guide for the Tuaregs of the Sahara:

* New Tuareg believers often face rejection from their family and community. It is assumed that someone who has rejected Islam brings shame on the family. This is especially difficult in an environment where family help and protection are indispensable (Mark 10:29-31). Pray for strength, courage and protection for new Tuareg believers.

* There are few Christians and fewer churches among this people group. New believers need discipleship and encouragement, which is difficult to achieve in a hostile environment. Pray that as Tuareg become believers, they will also be discipled properly into a strong and vibrant faith.

* Although economic changes have brought some of the Tuareg closer to urban areas, their remoteness and dispersion is still a major obstacle to reaching them. Pray for God-inspired strategies to reach the dispersed Tuareg.

* Until there is a significant number of Tuareg believers to carry on the task, cross-cultural workers will need to be a living witness to this people. Many times the "beautiful feet" will be a little dirty in the hot and dusty Sahara (Rom 10:14-15). Pray for the workers among the Tuareg - and pray for more of them.

Video: Sahara Culture

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/muslims/muslims-in/north-african/sahara-tuaregs/feed/ 2 Muslim Populations in Africa http://www.30-days.net/muslims/statistics/about-africa/ http://www.30-days.net/muslims/statistics/about-africa/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:06:45 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/statistics/about-africa/ muslims-in-africa

| · 936,269,259 million people or about 14% of the world's population live in 61 countries and territories throughout Africa.

Pray with us for these African countries. Muslims represent 41.3% of the population in Africa, growing at a rate of 2.5% per year (mainly as a result of having large families). Islam first spread from the Middle East to North Africa and then eventually towards the south. Islam is predominantly concentrated in North and Northeast Africa. For example, out of the 78 million people in the three nations of Northwest Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco), possibly only 50,000 are native believers in the Messiah. On our site you will see we have broken Africa down by region, Central (about 15 percent Muslim), East (about 29 percent Muslim), North (probably 89% Muslim), Southern (between 1 and 2 percent Muslim) and West Africa (about 54 percent Muslim).

Although we hear of many miracles and wonderful things happening in Africa there is also great persecution among many African Christians. As gulf-oil dollars help spread Islam we hear of many believers who become secret believers. Families often disown members who turn to the Messiah, confiscating their possessions. In some cases there are brutal beatings and even deaths as the type of Islam coming into Africa gets more dogmatic and controlling.

You can also search our site for Muslim People Groups such as: Beja, Dioula, Fulani, Gorane, Gypsies, Harar, Juba Arabs, Kabyle, Lebou, Maba, Myab, Nubian, Saharawi, Saho, Songhai, Soninke, Souss Berbers, Teda, Toucouleur, Tuaregs, Tuareg in Sahara, Worodougou, Yao and so forth.

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