The Saidi Arabs of Egypt

The Saidi Arabs of Egypt, numbering approximately 27,130,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are the Arabic-speaking population of Upper Egypt's Nile Valley from Beni Suef to the Sudan border, who identify as the most direct descendants of the ancient Pharaonic Egyptians and maintain strong tribal solidarity and honor codes. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Saidi Arabic is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Saidi Arabs

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Arab Peoples
Country: Egypt
People Cluster: Arab, Egyptian
Primary Language(s): Saidi Arabic (aec)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 27,130,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011489
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Saidi 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

85%
%
Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Saidi Arabic
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Arabic, Sa’idi Speakers

Media Resources in Saidi Arabic:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
MagdalenaView Film

2 films

Bible Resources in Saidi Arabic:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Upper Egyptian Colloquial✓

1 entry

Or check out the Saidi Arabic bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Saidi 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 Saidi 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 Saidi Arabs of Egypt

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
readRomans 8:1

Pray that God will reassure those who may be struggling with the cost of following Jesus that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!
readPsalm 68:4

Pray that many will come to faith in Christ and share the gospel with others so that His salvation will be known among all nations.

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
readEphesians 6:18

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be alert and persistent in prayer for all believers, offering their requests with thanksgiving.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
read1 John 1:5

Pray that God will raise up believers who can share the gospel with people who don't know the good news of Jesus, that God is light and in him, there is no darkness at all.

Arab, Saidi Across Countries (ROP3 - 108521) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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

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