Shaikh in Bhutan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

Islam arrived in the area now known as Pakistan in 711 AD when a Muslim Arab Army conquered the northwestern part of the Indus Valley from Jammu and Kashmir to the Arabian Sea. Technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and sufis flocked from the rest of the Arab and Muslim world, to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently.

The descendants of these Arabs usually go by the title of Shaikh. Shaikh is also a term that is usually attributed to the leaders or elders of Arabian social groups. Other variants of this term are Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh, Seyh.

After the advent of Islam in South Asia, some high caste (Brahmans, Muslim Rajputs and Khatris) converted to Islam in the Punjab region and adopted this title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh (Punjabi).


Where Are they Located?

Though the vast majority of Shaikhs are either in Bangladesh or India or Pakistan, there is a smaller number in Nepal and Bhutan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Shaikhs are not bound by one particular profession. The Shaikh can be broadly grouped into five communities. Three of these communities are the Siddiks, Farukis and Abbasi who are often descendants of Arab immigrants. The other two are the Chistis and Kuraishis communities who tend to be mainly from converts to Islam. Consequently, Shaikhs profess Islam and have both Sunni and Shia traditions among them.

In Nepal they speak Nepali and either Urdu, Bhojpuri or Maithili, in their communities. They are not vegetarian and their common food is rice, mutton and vegetables. Common surnames are Mondal, Siddiqui, Usmani, Faroqui and Sheikh.

It is likely that the Shaikhs in Bhutan do not hold the high status that they do in other South Asian countries, since they are Muslims. Bhutan is primarily Tibetan Buddhist.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Shaikhs are among the more orthodox Sunni Muslims. They have high status, and Muslims look to them as leaders, and as examples to follow.


What Are Their Needs?

There has been much ministry activity among the Shaikh in India but few works in Nepal. Pray that this largest group of Nepali Muslims will find the truth of the Prophet Isa! There is a lot of potential for gospel growth within the Shaikh community because of relatively few social divisions.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Shaikhs in Bhutan will understand that they need a Savior, who is none other than Jesus Christ.
Since there are few ways for the gospel to get to these Muslims in a Buddhist country, pray that the Lord reveals himself to Shaikhs in unusual ways such as dreams and visions.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts of Shaikhs to study the Injil (New Testament) and learn to pattern their lives after Jesus.


Scripture Prayers for the Shaikh in Bhutan.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18084/IN
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18084/NZ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaikhs_in_South_Asia
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/Shaikhs-in-India-and-Bangladesh/


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Shaikh
People Name in Country Shaikh
Pronunciation shayk
Alternate Names Bengali Muslim (in Bangladesh); Faraji; Jhiwar; Shaik; Sheikh; Shekhzade; शैख़
Population this Country 9,400
Population all Countries 95,840,000
Total Countries 9
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18084
ROP3 Code 113585
Country Bhutan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 36  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 4
Largest States
Western
4,900
Eastern
2,500
Southern
1,900
Central
90
Country Bhutan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 36  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 4
  Western 4,900
  Eastern 2,500
  Southern 1,900
  Central 90
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 Bhutan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Assamese Urdu
Primary Language Bengali
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Assamese
  Urdu
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Mikhail Nilov - Pexels 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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