The Kanjar people were once nomads who roamed throughout South Asia. They were distrusted, discriminated against and marginalized.
Muslim Kanjars have their own subgroups, many of which have their own language and culture. Muslim Kanjar people live in India and Pakistan.
Today the Kanjar people are usually millers, farmers, day laborers or small businessmen. They have their own cultural art forms including music, dance and storytelling.
The Kanjar people in Pakistan have organized themselves to protect their rights as a community. They hope to eliminate the stigma of their nomadic past, which sometimes involved prostitution. They are trying to improve their access to schools and hospitals so they can enjoy a higher standard of living.
These Kanjar 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 Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
In most of the Muslim world, common 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 they live on a daily basis. For that reason, some Muslims appease spirits using charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces. More orthodox Muslims consider these practices heretical and un-Islamic.
The Kanjar people need to put their hope in the King of kings, realizing that he is the one who gives them worth and dignity.
Pray for loving workers to go to the Kanjar people until there are disciples who make more disciples.
Pray the Lord will prepare the hearts of the Kanjar to understand and to believe the gospel.
Pray for the Lord to bless the Kanjar people with adequate education and medical facilities.
Pray for the Lord to bless the Kanjar people so abundantly that they will see he is the only one worthy of praise and worship.
Scripture Prayers for the Kanjar (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Kanjar (Muslim traditions) |
People Name in Country | Kanjar (Muslim traditions) |
Natural Name | Muslim Kanjar |
Alternate Names | कंज़र (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 11,000 |
Population all Countries | 29,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 17582 |
ROP3 Code | 113009 |
ROP25 Code | 303657 |
ROP25 Name | Kanjar |
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 | 3 | |||
Largest States |
|
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 | 3 |
Punjab 9,700 | |
Sindh 900 | |
Azad Kashmir 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 | Saraiki (7,100 speakers) | ||||||
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing | ||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||
Total Languages | 7 | ||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Saraiki (7,100 speakers) |
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 7 |
Secondary Languages | |
Marwari (Pakistan) 2,000 | |
Urdu 800 | |
Sindhi 600 | |
Punjabi, Western 100 | |
Pahari-Potwari 40 | |
Hindko, Northern 20 | |
People Groups | Speaking Saraiki |
Primary Language: Saraiki
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (2023) |
Bible-Complete | No |
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 | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Saraiki | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Bible for Children | Bible for Children |
General | Biblical answers to your questions | Got Questions Ministry |
General | Scripture Earth Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Miniafia Oyan: Saraiki | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Saraiki | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Literacy primer for Saraiki | Literacy & Evangelism International |
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. |