Reaching Hassaniya Speakers With the Gospel of Christ

There are 6.1 million Hassaniya speakers around the world, and yet there is no complete Bible in their language. 

I am 27 years old, and I regularly listen to your messages in Hassaniya. I am 18 kilometers from the city, in the morning the village empties of its inhabitants where we go to sell the products of our gardens. Upon returning, in the evening, I receive The Prophets program radio station messages to follow up. I learn a lot about Christian faith; and I understand that Christians are neither blasphemers nor cockroaches as I was taught in Quranic school.  

– Text from a TWR listener in Mauritania, June 2024 

Scattered across the sun-scorched expanses of countries like Mauritania, Mali, Algeria and parts of Senegal, the 6.1 million Hassaniya-speaking people form a culturally rich yet deeply marginalized community.  

Descendants of Bedouin tribes who journeyed from the Arabian Peninsula centuries ago, their roots run deep in the shifting sands of the Sahara. The Hassaniya Arabic dialect they speak is a living tapestry of Arabic, Berber and Sub-Saharan African linguistic threads – an echo of ancient trade routes, nomadic traditions and unbroken heritage. 

Their identity is shaped by centuries of nomadic and pastoralist life, deep respect for nature, tribal social structures and a strong adherence to Islam – infused with Sufi mysticism and localized religious expressions. In the face of a harsh environment, these resilient people uphold values of hospitality, honor and communal solidarity. 

Yet beyond the romanticized image of desert life lies a more sobering reality: one of economic hardship, political instability and spiritual isolation. 

An Unreached and Persecuted People 

I just testify to you that my neighbor and [I] are listening every time to this program. I gather my friends and do everything for the guests to listen, and today many [have] become followers of this program. One of them, my closest neighbor, even wants to give her life to Jesus Christ, but her husband is still reluctant, so I ask you to pray for her and her husband. It is not easy, but God is in control.  

– From a phone call from a listener in the Hassaniya language in Mauritania, December 2024 

Mauritania, the heartland of Hassaniya culture, is officially an Islamic republic where proselytism is forbidden by law. Converting to Christianity is often met not only with legal prosecution but also violent social exclusion. Families disown new believers. Spouses are forced to separate. Jobs are denied. In some cases, Christians are imprisoned or tortured — a heavy price to pay for faith in Christ. 

“Mauritania is the point least touched by the gospel in all of West Africa,” said the Rev. Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, TWR international director for West and Central Africa.  

Only 0.07% of Mauritanians are evangelical Christians, according to Joshua Project’s data. Open Doors places Mauritania 23rd on its list of countries where it’s most difficult to be a Christian.   

Recently, two of our local contacts were imprisoned for distributing Christian literature, including Bibles and gospel recordings, Abdoulaye said. Others have faced intimidation, surveillance and public denunciation. Even foreign missionaries have not been spared – some were expelled, others silenced and a few even martyred. 

Still, in the shadows, Hassaniya believers exist – a precious few – navigating their faith with humility, courage and perseverance. Their testimonies, though rarely heard, radiate the light of Christ into spiritually dry lands. They are the hidden jewels of the Sahara – salt and light in a place thirsty for hope. 

They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. 
[ Isaiah 49:10 ]

TWR’s Call to the Desert 

Hello, I have been listening to you from my bedroom since I discovered The Prophets. I became addicted to this program like no other. Through it I discovered a lot of truth that Islam hides from us. Today I know with certainty that salvation is not in Islam, and it was in August that I gave my life to Jesus. Today I see that my life really changed, glory to Jesus Christ.  

– From an in-person visit by a listener from Mauritania in the Hassaniya language, December 2024 

In 2011-12, compelled by the spiritual vacuum and lack of Christian presence among the Hassaniya speakers, TWR West Africa launched an initiative to bring the gospel to this community through the power of radio. 

Partnering with TWR Netherlands, our teams began producing and broadcasting programs in Hassaniya Arabic, including The Way of Righteousness and gospel-focused dramas and teachings such as Hope in the Desert, Stories of the Prophets and The Messiah. These were aired along the Mauritanian border and in surrounding countries where Hassaniya speakers live – especially Senegal and Mali. 

In a region where church buildings are forbidden and public evangelism is dangerous, TWR used media players, memory cards and mobile distribution to reach across borders. “We had the joy to see converts and baptisms among them,” Sangho said.  

To support the growing number of seekers and believers, training seminars were organized in Senegal, equipping Christian leaders and nurturing embryonic house fellowships. It has been dangerous, slow and at times discouraging work – but God has been present at every step. 

The Power and Peril of the Gospel 

I have been a faithful student of The Prophets for months, and to tell the truth, I really find this program very interesting. I understand a lot of things about God on the salvation of man himself, the difference between religion and the way that leads to God. I am a Muslim by faith but in reality, I was only following others, and now that I have understood, I am currently taking courses with a missionary from the Lutheran Mission. Pray for me so that I am truly meeting the true God to have salvation. 

– Phone call from a Hassaniya-language listener in Mauritania, December 2024 

In areas dominated by conservative Islamic interpretations, the very act of listening to a Christian message can be risky. Believers often hide their radios, consume content at night and avoid detection. Yet they listen. And they share. Because the message of Christ cuts through fear, offering a relationship that no court, no family, no government can take away. 

TWR’s programming – biblical teachings, testimonies, culturally adapted discussions and music – continues to be a lifeline of spiritual encouragement. And with increasing digital connectivity among the younger generation, new opportunities are arising through mobile apps, WhatsApp messaging and social media outreach. 

Why It Matters 

The Hassaniya speakers may dwell on the remote edges of the map, but they are not forgotten in God’s plan. Every soul matters. Every voice deserves to hear the hope of the gospel in their heart language. 

TWR's ministry to the Hassaniya people is a living testimony that the Great Commission does not stop where laws become hostile or deserts stretch wide. It moves forward with faith, creativity and deep love for people created in God’s image. 

As a ministry, our prayer is that we will press on with boldness and humility, knowing that even in the most arid spiritual climates, God causes living water to spring forth. 

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. 
[ Romans 10:15 ]

Images: (top, banner) A Mauritanian man tends to his flock; (middle, right) Facts and figures gathered from TWR and Joshua Project; (bottom, right) A family walks across the dunes in Mauritania.