Day 4 - Saudi Arabian Tribes

There are about 150 major tribes in Saudi Arabia. This year, we are asking believers to pray specifically for the Utaybah drive (also spelled Utaiba, Otaibah, or Otayba). THe Utaybah drive has traditionally lived just north of the present Riyadh-Mecca highway in the desert between the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and Jeddah on the Red Sea. The residence of the tribal leader is Afif, a small town of 90,000 about 600 kilometres west of Riyadh. Many in Utaybah are found in riyadh, Jeddah and as far away as Kuwait.

The Utaybah drive has historically had an important role in the Saudi army dating to the early days of the reign of Abdul Aziz Al Saud, founder of the present ruling dynasty. The Utaybah tribe is composed of three major branches: the Barga (the largest branch), the Rwog and the Banu Saad (Sons of Saad). Each of these branches is divided into many clans and families, for example:

The Rwog Branch includes these clans:

 The Talhaha, consisting of the following families: Alasa'adah, Alhufah, Alsumarrah, Alhanateesh, Algharbiah, Alkarashemah, Alddalabehah, Alghawariah, Altheebah, Alhamameed, Alhezman, Almaghaibah, Thoi Zarrag, Alghadhabeen and Alawazem.

The Mezhem, consisting of the following families: Thoi Thubait, Alothyan, Alghubaiat, Almarashedah, Al-jetha'an, Alseaheen, Thoi A'ali and Thoi A'tyah

See the site www.lovesaudis.com for additional information about Saudi Arabia.

Prayer Ideas:

• Worship GOd, the Lord of the desert. Read the Messianic Psalm 71:1-2. Proclaim GOd's sovereignty over the desert and the Utaybah tribe. Pray for the revelation of the Messiah among them and for their salvation. See verse 9: "Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust." Pray for at least one of the five sub-clans listed above. You are among some of the first people to ever specifically mention these clans in prayer.

-- All text from 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World