South Asian, general in Belgium

Introduction / History

South Asians in Belgium come from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The Indians are mostly Gujaratis from Gujarat and Marwaris from Rajasthan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Many Indians work in the computer and diamond industries. Software companies in Belgium employ many Indians.

They live in the cities such as Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. They speak various South Asian languages and English.

South Asian marriages are usually endogamous, meaning they prefer marriages to take place within their group. South Asians also do not mix with those of other religious affiliations.

What Are Their Beliefs?

South Asians in Belgium are divided between several religious communities. There are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Muslims among them. They are most likely to be Sunni Muslim. Sunni Muslims believe 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?

These people need to put their hope and identity in the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Prayer Points

Pray for workers to go to the South Asian people, and for their hearts to be ready to receive their Savior.

Pray for families of believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing churches.

Pray for a chain reaction of families reaching families that results in thousands of new believers who share their faith with others.

Pray for grace and truth expanding into their entire society as all believers learn to love others.

Text Source:   Joshua Project