Bhoi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

Bhoi is the name of a people group who were traditionally fishermen, boat people and litter carriers. Since most of the major rivers in South Central Asia now have bridges over them, the traditional occupation of the Bhoi has declined. Also, there is no need for litter carriers.
A landless and mostly illiterate people group, they are considered a low caste of people. In India the Bhoi are a scheduled caste meaning that they are eligible for special preference in government jobs and college entrance.
The Bhoi of Pakistan speak Sindhi are their primary language. Some of the men are able to speak Urdu, the national language of Pakistan. The New Testament and the JESUS Film are available in Sindhi.
They reside in India, southeastern Pakistan and Nepal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Bhoi are mostly a landless and illiterate people group. Their main occupation today is that of agricultural workers. They also served as palanquin or litter carriers for royalty during the days of colonial India.
Few Bhoi have access to modern medicine. Their life expectancy is low. If crops fail, the Bhoi are subject to starvation. The Bhoi marry among themselves. Families arrange marriages. If a Bhoi child is able to attend school, they often quit at a young age in order to help their family make a living. Bhoi tend to have many children in their families. They view sons and daughters as blessings from Allah.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of the Bhoi are Hindus. Some Bhoi people are Sunni Muslims. They 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 Bhoi people group needs the blessings and guidance that only Jesus Christ can offer. They also need new job skills and access to modern medicine. They need to see the love of Christ shown to them in practical ways.


Prayer Points

Pray that God will release a spiritual yearning in the hearts of the Bhoi people that only Christ can fill.
Pray that Bhoi hearts will be opened to receive the words of life.
Ask the Lord to send workers to the Bhoi.
Pray for a movement to Christ among the Muslim Bhoi people in Pakistan in this decade.


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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bhoi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Bhoi (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation boh-EE
Alternate Names Bhoiraj; Kewat; भोइ (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 1,000
Population all Countries 16,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17491
ROP3 Code 112906
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)
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 1
  Sindh 900
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 (700 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Urdu
200
Primary Language Sindhi (700 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Urdu 200
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)
Bible-NT Audio 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
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
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 Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
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 © 2023  Arnav Pratap Singh - Shutterstock  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.