Bathari in Oman

People Name:	Bathari
Country:	Oman
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	300
World Population:	300
Primary Language:	Arabic, Omani
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Unspecified
Ministry Resources:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Arab, Arabian
Affinity Bloc:	Arab World
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Bathari is a language of southern Oman.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There are less than 20 people who speak the Bathari language. The others from this people group have moved on to speaking Omani Arabic. Parents teach their children Omani Arabic.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Bathari people are Sunni Muslims who believe that the One, 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. 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. The often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.

What Are Their Needs?

The Bathari people need to put their identity in Christ, especially as they are in the process of losing their identity as a distinct people group.

Prayer Points

Pray that the Bathari people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings. Pray for workers who are driving by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them. Pray for a Disciple Making Movement among them to begin this decade.