Sonar (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan


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 Muslim Sonar people have their roots in Hindu mythology. According to the legend, Sonars are the descendants of the youngest of five sons created by the Hindu god Vishnu's incarnation, Vishwakarama. The first Sonar was used by the goddess Devi to destroy a giant demon who was made of gold. This Sonar convinced this vain demon that he would look better if he were polished, a process which involved being melted down, and ultimately destroyed.


Where Are they Located?

Most members of the Sonar community are Sikh, Jain, or Hindu, and they live in India's northern states. A small number are Muslims, and a smaller number of these live in Pakistan's Punjab Province.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Wealthy Sonars are money lenders. There are some Sonars who now sell groceries or own land, but most are still craftsmen. Specifically, they make jewelry out of gold or silver. Hindu Sonars are free to make jewelry and idols that honor their deities, but Muslim Sonars cannot participate in these activities.

Sonars tend to marry within their own communities. They do not practice child marriage, and they live within nuclear families. In today's world, the Sonars are starting to get higher education.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Sunni Muslims believe that they can please Allah by obeying what he told them to do in the Koran and the hadith. Salvation is based on the will of Allah, which means that no one will know his or her eternal fate until the Day of Judgment.


What Are Their Needs?

These people are middle class or wealthy, so they do not feel a need to take care of their basic needs. However, they have spiritual needs which are unmet by Islam.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Sonar community to be humble enough to acknowledge their need for forgiveness of sin, and that they understand the provision for forgiveness that God has provided.


Scripture Prayers for the Sonar (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17684/PK
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18150/PK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunar
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/Sonar-Goldsmiths/
https://www.quora.com/Sunar-Goldsmith-is-backward-caste-in-India-is-it-true
http://www.peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/sonar/
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Sunar%20(caste)


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Sonar (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Sonar (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation suh-NAR
Alternate Names Aksali; Ashraf; Ausala; Hemkar; Jangar; Jargar; Kamsala; Kapila; Karai; Khakhar; Khatri; Konkar; Korai; Maipotra; Mair; Niaria; Potdar; Sanur; Saraf; Sarat; Shakish; Sharif; Sheriff; Soni; Soni Hahajan; Sunar; Suni; Sunia; Suniar; Suniyara; Suvarnakar; Swarankar; Swarnakar; Tank; Verma; Zargur; सोनार (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 379,000
Population all Countries 414,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 8
PeopleID3 17684
ROP3 Code 113129
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 6
Largest States
Punjab
273,000
Sindh
52,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
52,000
Islamabad
800
Gilgit-Baltistan
500
Balochistan
400
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 6
  Punjab 273,000
  Sindh 52,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 52,000
  Islamabad 800
  Gilgit-Baltistan 500
  Balochistan 400
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 Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Saraiki (132,000 speakers)
Language Code skr   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
Punjabi, Western
124,000
Urdu
32,000
Sindhi
32,000
Hindko, Northern
17,000
Hindko, Southern
12,000
Marwari (Pakistan)
8,300
Pashto, Northern
6,300
Pashto, Central
3,600
Bagri
2,100
Pahari-Potwari
2,000
Dhatki
1,400
Kacchi
500
Balti
80
Primary Language Saraiki (132,000 speakers)
Language Code skr   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
  Punjabi, Western 124,000
  Urdu 32,000
  Sindhi 32,000
  Hindko, Northern 17,000
  Hindko, Southern 12,000
  Marwari (Pakistan) 8,300
  Pashto, Northern 6,300
  Pashto, Central 3,600
  Bagri 2,100
  Pahari-Potwari 2,000
  Dhatki 1,400
  Kacchi 500
  Balti 80
People Groups Speaking Saraiki
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Kalcutta - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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