The Libyan Arabs of Egypt

The Libyan Arabs of Egypt, numbering approximately 1,080,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a people of Bedouin Arab ancestry with a more localized ethnic identity tied to their recent roots in Libya. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Libyan Arabic is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Arab, Libyan

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Arab Peoples
Country: Egypt
People Cluster: Arab, Libyan
Primary Language(s): Libyan Arabic (ayl)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 1,080,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011505
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Libyan Arabs of Egypt

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

100%
%
Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Libyan Arabic
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Arabic, Libyan Speakers

Media Resources in Libyan Arabic:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Libyan Arabic:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2020 Mahabat El-Rahman✓

1 entry

Or check out the Libyan Arabic bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Libyan Arabs are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Libyan Arabs:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Libyan Arabs of Egypt

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
readMatthew 9:36

Pray that those who have no hope and are in need of a Savior will be comforted by the Good Shepherd, who seeks to gather the lost and weary into His care.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
readRevelation 4:11

Pray that the good news will advance and people will recognize and worship the One who created all things by His will, giving glory and honor to Him alone.

"...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
readMatthew 16:18b

Pray that God will build and grow His Church among this people.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way.
readPsalm 37:23

Pray that believers from near and far will serve here and trust in the Lord's timing as He establishes their steps.

Arab, Libyan Across Countries (ROP3 - 105948) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

7 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulationStrategic Progress IndexLanguageReligion ▼
Libyan ArabsLibyan ArabsEgypt1,080,000Engaged yet UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
Libyan ArabsLibyan ArabsLibya2,810,000Unengaged and UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
Libyan ArabsLibyan ArabsItaly42,000Unengaged and UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
LibyansLibyansSpain1,100Unengaged and UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
LibyansLibyansUnited States11,000Unengaged and UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
Libyan ArabsLibyan ArabsCanada9,900Engaged yet UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam
Libyan ArabsLibyan ArabsTunisia317,000Unengaged and UnreachedLibyan ArabicSunni Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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