The term "Moor" is generally applied to any person, regardless of skin color, who speaks one of the Hassaniyya dialects. Therefore, there are both black and white Moors who speak the same language. This language, in its purest form, draws heavily from the original Yemeni Arabic spoken by the Bani Hassan tribe, which invaded northwest Africa during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
In simplistic terms, “White” Moors trace their ancestry to North African Berbers and Yemeni tribes. “Black” Moors trace their ancestry to sub-Saharan Africa. The latter is also called Harratine.
Black Moors have found employment as day laborers and in various manual trades. The jewelry and adornment of Black Moorish women is bold, rich, and colorful. Leather, shell, coins, and glass are typical of the pieces worn by these ladies. They live in separate communities.
Black Moors 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.
Black Moors are gospel starved, but they also lack necessities such as clean water and schools. The Hassaniyya language only has limited biblical materials. It is hard for Muslims to accept the idea that they need a savior who is free from sin. They believe they can be in right standing with Allah by obeying the Koran.
Pray for adequate rainfall, pure drinking water, schools and improved medical care for the Black Moors.
Pray for them to be given a strong desire to find forgiveness for their sin, and in God's time they will learn of the only savior, Jesus Christ.
Pray for good quality Christian radio to be widely available throughout Mauritania.
Scripture Prayers for the Moor, Haratine (Black) in Morocco.
https://www.101lasttribes.com/tribes/moor.html
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
