Bishnoi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan

The Bishnoi (Muslim traditions) have only been reported 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

Bishnois were founded by a Rajput of Bikaner, who was born in 1451 A.D, and was therefore a contemporary of Baba Nanak, the originator of Sikhism, and is buried in Talwa/Mukam in Bikaner. His spiritual name was Jambhaji. He left his followers a scripture in the Nagri character called Shabdwani. The adherents of the sect are the descendants of immigrants from Bikaner, parts of Haryana and Punjab and are exclusively Jats or some Rajputs by caste, though they often abandon the caste name and describe themselves simply as Bishnois. They are freely involved in marriages with Jat people, Rajputs or among themselves.
Some are in neighboring Pakistan where they have adopted Islam rather than Hinduism or Sikhism.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are good cultivators and keep cattle in large numbers. Today Bishnoi's have drastically grown in the fields of IT jobs as engineers or government sectors as military personnel or social workers. They have a ceremony of initiations, somewhat similar and known by the name as that of Sikhs.
Bishnois love wild animals. In recent years, the Bishnoi community has launched protests against the killing of black bucks by Salman Khan, a Bollywood film star and Mansur Ali Khan of Pataudi, a former Indian cricketer. It is because of their protection that in Bishnoi-dominated areas, deer and antelope (such as blue bulls, black bucks, chinkaras and chowsinghas) are still grazing in their fields despite the water shortages in their home state of Rajasthan.
They are teetotalers and normally they wear white shirts, dhotis and turbans. This dress pattern is ideal for the hot dry desert climate. They pay special attention to cleanliness in their houses. Only one crop of pearl millet (bajra) is grown during the monsoon season. The bushes, which grow in the fields, protect the loose sand from wind erosion and provide the much-needed fodder for animals during a famine.
Bisnois often live in little hamlets called 'Dhannis ', with just a few round huts with intricate thatched roofs. The mud floors are plastered with cow dung to keep vermin away. The interiors are airy and clean. There is a granary to guard their rations and a sump for stored water.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The people 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.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bishnoi people in Pakistan live in an Islam-oriented country, and there are probably no Christ followers among them or among their near neighbors. Who will go to them?


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to pave the way for the gospel to move among the Bishnoi people.
Pray for Bishnoi community leaders to open the door to allowing Jesus Christ to bless their families.
Pray for a Disciple Making Movement among the Bishnoi in Pakistan.
Pray for them to have hearts that long for true spiritual nourishment that can only come from Jesus Christ.


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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bishnoi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Bishnoi (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation bish-NOY
Alternate Names Vighiamal; Vishio; Visni; Visro; बिश्नोई (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 54,000
Population all Countries 54,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19436
ROP3 Code 115752
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 4
Largest States
Sindh
43,000
Punjab
10,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
400
Islamabad
60
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 4
  Sindh 43,000
  Punjab 10,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 400
  Islamabad 60
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 (25,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
Urdu
14,000
Saraiki
6,800
Punjabi, Western
5,000
Dhatki
900
Bagri
200
Marwari (Pakistan)
200
Kacchi
200
Pashto, Northern
100
Hindko, Northern
90
Primary Language Sindhi (25,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
  Urdu 14,000
  Saraiki 6,800
  Punjabi, Western 5,000
  Dhatki 900
  Bagri 200
  Marwari (Pakistan) 200
  Kacchi 200
  Pashto, Northern 100
  Hindko, Northern 90
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)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Amazon
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Forum Bible Agencies
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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
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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 Anonymous 
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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