Memon in Sri Lanka


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Memon are a people group originally from northwestern India. They later migrated to Pakistan, but a small faction of early traders migrated to the island of Sri Lanka in 1870. More Memons left India for Sri Lanka due to Gujarat's Hindu-Muslim riot in 1947.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Despite being such a small community, the Memons pride themselves in keeping alive their traditions they carried over as immigrants and consider themselves experts in their industry. They are traditionally businessmen—traders, shippers, importers and exporters. For centuries they thrived economically while other Muslim groups struggled. Centuries before independence, the Memons practiced charity and social involvement.

In recent years young Memons have pursued careers in other fields such as medicine, law, sports, and poetry. The Memons typically marry within their people groups. The wedding itself has multiple ceremonies leading up to it, including application of henna and turmeric much like the Hindu communities. At the wedding reception, the men and women congregate in separate rooms, as is the tradition with most Muslim weddings. Their main languages include Memoni language as well as Gujarati.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Memons are Sunni Muslims who believe that the 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. As with most Muslims, the Memons do not believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ, his death or resurrection.


What Are Their Needs?

As they venture into new roles, away from their traditional careers, they can meet Christian believers and be encouraged to open their hearts to Christ. Their leaders may seek the one true God and be encouraged to influence others to as well.


Prayer Points

Pray that they will be moved to seek others outside of their ethnic group and build godly friendships with believers.

Pray for a spiritual hunger that will give the Memon people a willingness to accept the eternal blessings of Jesus Christ.

Pray for a movement that will bless the Memon people with a relationship with Jesus Christ, who offers life to the full.

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Memon people.


Scripture Prayers for the Memon in Sri Lanka.


References

https://www.sundaytimes.lk/101212/Plus/plus_01.html

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Memons_in_Sri_Lanka


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Memon
People Name in Country Memon
Pronunciation MEM-un
Alternate Names Kachchh Memon; Kachchhi Memon; Kachhi; Kuchchi Memon; Kutchi Memon; Mamar; मेमोन
Population this Country 2,100
Population all Countries 859,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17530
ROP3 Code 112952
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 9
Largest States
Western
700
Eastern
600
Central
300
North Western
200
North Central
100
Southern
60
Sabaragamuwa
50
Uva
40
Northern
20
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 9
  Western 700
  Eastern 600
  Central 300
  North Western 200
  North Central 100
  Southern 60
  Sabaragamuwa 50
  Uva 40
  Northern 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Sri Lanka census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gujarati (2,100 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Gujarati (2,100 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Gujarati

Primary Language:  Gujarati

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1809-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1823-2021)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Mobile App Android Bible app: Gujarati Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Gujarati Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
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Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Gujarati Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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