The Regeibat comprise several tribes of Bedouin nomads in the interior of Morocco. They are one of the Sahrawi tribes. At one time they were a semi-sedentary religious tribe. In the 18th century they turned to camel rearing for their livelihood. The Regaibats were often raided by neighboring tribes. Eventually they took up arms and became successful raiders themselves. The Regaibat people had a reputation as a warrior tribe that would not compromise their independence. This tribe fought against French and Spanish colonizers. They were not subdued by the Spaniards until 1934. From the 1970s on the Regaibats have been involved with protecting the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco.
The Regeibat people in Morocco are in a state of transition. Their nomadic past is in jeopardy, but they do not have a clear path before them. What will be their livelihood in the future? Tight knit clans dominate their social lives. Their family structure is patriarchal; inheritance and most of the decision-making power comes from the father's side of each family. It would be very dangerous for an Izarguien to become a follower of Jesus Christ; such a person would probably be ostracized by his clan, leaving them isolated and vulnerable.
The Regeibat people are Sunni Muslims who believe that the One, 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.
The Regeibat community needs to trade in their charms and amulets for the abundant life offered only by Jesus Christ.
Pray for workers needed to sow God's Word into Regeibat families, healing and strengthening households with God's blessings. Pray for spiritual hunger among the Regeibat families that will lead them to embracing the sin-forgiving Savior. Pray for the Lord to bring about a movement to Christ among them soon.
Scripture Prayers for the Regeibat in Morocco.
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
