Ajuran, Somali-speaking in Kenya

People Name:	Ajuran, Somali-speaking
Country:	Kenya
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	191,000
World Population:	191,000
Primary Language:	Somali
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.10 %
Evangelicals:	0.08 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Somali
Affinity Bloc:	Horn of Africa Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Ajuran living in northeastern Kenya are descendants of the Muslim Ajuran Dynasty in Somalia. The Ajurans ruled over much of the Horn of Africa in the Middle Ages. Many of the ruined fortifications dotting the landscapes of southern Somalia today are attributed to the Ajuran sultanate's engineers. During the Ajuran period, many peoples in the southern part of the Horn of Africa converted to Islam because of the theocratic nature of the Ajuran government. At the end of the 17th century, the Ajuran state disintegrated into several successor kingdoms and states. Today they are a Somali clan that lives in Kenya.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Ajuran Somali make their living by herding livestock.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Ajuran Somalis 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. 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 Ajuran Somali people need the chance to find the only Savior, the one who offers life to the full.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to give abundant rain so the Ajuran Somali will see that he is loving and powerful. Pray he will reveal himself to family leaders in a vision or dream. Please pray influential people within the Ajuran clan, such as the imams, will be given a growing spiritual interest that will lead them to Jesus Christ. Pray for the Lord to raise up disciplers who will make more disciples among the Ajuran Somali people.