Qureshi Shaikh 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

Islam arrived in the area now known as Pakistan in 711 AD when a Muslim Arab army conquered the northwestern part of the Indus Valley from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea. Technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Arab and Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently.

The descendants of these Arabs usually go by the title of Shaikh and are also known in Pakistan as Muslim Khatri. The Shaikhs of Pakistan, however, claim pre-Islamic ancestry. Shaikh is also a term that is usually attributed to the leaders or elders of Arabian social groups.

One prominent subgroup of the Shaikhs are the Qureshi. Quereshi is a family name that dates back to Arabia at the time of Mohammed. They claim to be the descendants of the Quraish, an important tribe in what is now Saudi Arabia. Initially this tribe opposed Mohammed and even persecuted Muslims, but by the time of Mohammed's death, they had converted to Islam. Once again, we see an example of how tribes and people groups make group decisions regarding important spiritual matters.


Where Are they Located?

The Muslim Quereshi Shaikh people live mainly in India but also in Pakistan and Nepal. In Pakistan they are mostly in Sindh and Punjab Provinces.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Shaikhs are not bound by one particular profession, though many of them are either merchants or butchers. In Muslim Pakistan, the Qureshi name brings high status.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Quereshi Shaikhs are entirely Muslim. They believe that Allah is the absolute high God and Mohammed is his prophet. Muslims fast from sun up to sun down during the month of Ramadan, then feast after the sun goes down. They give alms to the poor. Those who are devout pray five times a day facing Mecca and go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Those who have gone on the pilgrimage have higher status when the return to Pakistan.


What Are Their Needs?

The Quereshi Shaikh community needs to have the humility to accept that they cannot be forgiven of their sins because of their ancestry. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; therefore, we all need a Savior.


Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Quereshi Shaikhs in Pakistan.
Pray for the Quereshi Shaikh community to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Quereshi Shaikhs to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers new Qureshi disciples to make more disciples.
Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Quereshi Shaikh communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Shaikh Qureshi in Pakistan.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18084/PK
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjabi_Shaikh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qureshi


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Shaikh Qureshi
People Name in Country Shaikh Qureshi
Natural Name Qureshi Shaikh
Pronunciation koo-RESH-ee SHAYK
Alternate Names Kuresi; Matoa Quershi; Quraishi; Qureshi; शैख़ करिशी
Population this Country 1,093,000
Population all Countries 10,378,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 22
PeopleID3 21236
ROP3 Code 118058
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
831,000
Punjab
198,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
61,000
Islamabad
3,100
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 831,000
  Punjab 198,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 61,000
  Islamabad 3,100
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 (535,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Urdu
210,000
Saraiki
174,000
Punjabi, Western
69,000
Marwari (Pakistan)
27,000
Hindko, Northern
23,000
Dhatki
18,000
Hindko, Southern
11,000
Pashto, Northern
5,200
Bagri
3,700
Pashto, Central
1,700
Pahari-Potwari
1,200
Kacchi
400
Marwari (India)
300
Shina
200
Shina, Kohistani
100
Primary Language Sindhi (535,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Urdu 210,000
  Saraiki 174,000
  Punjabi, Western 69,000
  Marwari (Pakistan) 27,000
  Hindko, Northern 23,000
  Dhatki 18,000
  Hindko, Southern 11,000
  Pashto, Northern 5,200
  Bagri 3,700
  Pashto, Central 1,700
  Pahari-Potwari 1,200
  Kacchi 400
  Marwari (India) 300
  Shina 200
  Shina, Kohistani 100
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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Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
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Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
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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 Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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