Sumra Sindhi 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 Sumra is a Muslim community of southeast Pakistan. They derived their name from Samara, a place in Iran, where their ancestor Mohamed Haneef Ali had settled. They converted from being Hindu Rajputs to Sunni Muslims during the Mogul period. In their folk lore and oral traditions they recall stories migrating from Iran.
Sindhi is the primary language of the Sumra Sindhi in Pakistan. Indian Sumra speak Gujarati. Many resources are available in Sindhi including a complete Bible and the JESUS Film.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In previous generations the Sumra Sindhi were known as fierce warriors. They fought for and against the British colonial government. However, at present most Sumra work in business, agriculture, government and trade. The Sumra often employ lower castes to farm their land. Some Sumra Sindh are members of the Pakistani military.
Marriages between first cousins are prominent. Traditionally, families arranged marriages. A man may have up to four wives if he can afford them. The marriage rituals start with betrothal ceremony. The groom and bride live with the groom's family until they can buy their own home. Sumra tend to have large families as children, especially boys, are seen as Allah's blessing. Sons inherit property and take care of elderly parents. Sumra young people are moving to cities from rural villages looking for better economic and educational opportunities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Sumra are Sunni Muslims. Sunni Muslims 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.
There are few if any believers among the Pakistani Sumra.


What Are Their Needs?

The Sumra of Pakistan need to hear a clear presentation of the good news. They depend on works righteousness and forfeit the abundant life offered by the only savior.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Sumra to understand and respond to Christ.
Pray God will have mercy on the Sumra Sindhi, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to send anointed, loving workers to the Sumra Sindhi.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Pakistani Sumra Sindhi.


Scripture Prayers for the Sindhi Sumra in Pakistan.


References

India Missions Association - Edited by Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Sindhi Sumra
People Name in Country Sindhi Sumra
Natural Name Sumra Sindhi
Pronunciation SOOM-rah SIN-dee
Alternate Names Samma; Samros; Sindhi Sama; Sumra; सिंधी सुंरा
Population this Country 215,000
Population all Countries 250,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
PeopleID3 18173
ROP3 Code 113685
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 2
Largest States
Sindh
214,000
Islamabad
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 2
  Sindh 214,000
  Islamabad 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 Sindhi (190,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
Urdu
15,000
Dhatki
2,500
Kacchi
1,100
Saraiki
800
Punjabi, Western
500
Koli, Parkari
200
Marwari (Pakistan)
100
Gurgula
30
Primary Language Sindhi (190,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
  Urdu 15,000
  Dhatki 2,500
  Kacchi 1,100
  Saraiki 800
  Punjabi, Western 500
  Koli, Parkari 200
  Marwari (Pakistan) 100
  Gurgula 30
People Groups Speaking Sindhi

Primary Language:  Sindhi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1825-1981)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1890-1992)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1954)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sindhi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Sindhi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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