Mahra [Mahri] prayer guides [PDF]

Day 1
The Mahras – A people in three countries

Before there were borders drawn in the sand through the southern Arabian Peninsula there were the Mahra peoples. Their territory is divided between the countries of Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. They have their own unique language, an old Semitic language called Mehri. It is only a spoken language and is different from Arabic.

Their lands include the harsh and beautiful desert known as the Rub Al Khali desert, the Empty Quarter, where temperatures can reach peaks of 51°C (124°F) in the summer. There are mountains, and the many wadis (valleys) flow down to the waters of the Arabian Sea.

Historically, frankincense was extremely valuable and the frankincense road started in their territory. They were a semi-nomadic people, pursuing a pastoral lifestyle in the inhospitable interior of the southern Arabian Peninsula. Today they are becoming much more settled. They are raising goats and high-quality camels, and fishing and trading along the coast.

Nomadic Arab and Berber peoples, including those who live in the Sahara Desert, consider the Mahra camel the most prized of riding camels. Even the French carmaker Citroën named one of their four-wheel drive vehicles Méhari after the celebrated camels.

Until 1985, the nomadic Mahra people used to travel without restrictions across Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. Today travel is restricted between these countries. Now some of the Mahras are not living in their native land anymore; they have moved to other places in the world. Their homeland extends from the Yemeni governorate of Al Mahra in the west to the coastal plain of Dhofar in Oman in the east. There are also Mahras who came to this area before 1967 as slaves from East Africa. Some of these Afro-Mahras have been able to do well economically and politically within society.

The most eastern governorate of Yemen is called Al Mahrah (or Mahra) and has the largest population of Mahras. They say that Al-Kharkhir, a desert village in Saudi Arabia, is the capital for the Mahra people. This is a place where their language is preserved. Oman has the second largest number of Mahras.

The Mahras all speak a similar language, but there are around 25 distinct tribes of Mahras and each have its own Mehri dialect. The exact number of Mehri speakers is not known, but it probably numbers around 200,000 people. The tribal Mahras normally marry other tribal Mahras and the Afro-Mahras marry Afro-Mahras. It is uncommon for Mahras to marry outsiders.

Key Scrpitures to Pray
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

Day 3
Mahras – Code of Conduct

The Mahras are a tribal people made up of around 25 larger tribes and many smaller tribes. They do not have a written language, but they have an amazing tribal code of conduct. This is an unwritten code of conduct, but it governs tribal interactions and conflict management.

The Mahra Code of Conduct rests on five principles:

• Tribal conflicts will arise. When an outsider comes with any conflict against a Mahra tribe/person, the Mahras will side with the Mahras, not the outsider.

• Pray that the Mahras will praise and honor the Lord as He deserves in their native language.

• Blood is thicker than water. Strife and violence with one Mahra against another Mahra does happen but is considered taboo. Violence between Mahra clans is almost inconceivable.

• Bearing arms does not mean they will use them. The display of arms is a sign that the tribe is able to cause a heavy toll on another tribe or outsider. It is good to count the costs of conflict and to understand the wisdom of compromise.

• When armed conflict between Mahra tribes does occur, the spoils of victory do not go to the victor. The victorious party is obliged to financially compensate its adversary for its losses. Victory can be very burdensome.

• There are very active mediations between the Mahras. When there is conflict, the Mahra tribes try to resolve it as soon as possible before things become too severe.

Key Scrpitures to Pray

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

Prayer Points

• Currently, the biggest issues facing the Mahras are:

• Saudi religious influence in the Mahra schools in Yemen.

• Saudi troops in eastern Yemen closing borders with Oman.

• Saudis have alliances with some Yemeni Mahra tribes, thus causing division between the Mahras.

• There are 250,000 internally displaced Yemeni in eastern Yemen seeking a place of peace. The Mahra area remains relatively peaceful and economically stable compared to the rest of Yemen.

• Pray that the Mahra Code of Conduct will guide them with these outside challenges and help bring peace to all of Yemen and an end to the war.

• Praise God that the Mahra Code of Conduct is designed to keep and maintain peace. Pray that the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ would been seen by the Mahras to line up with their Code of Conduct and bring even greater peace.