The Dhobi are a large collective community of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. They derive their name from the Sanskrit term dahv which means 'wash '. The Dhobi are traditionally the clothes washers. They are a schedule caste in many of the states of India, where most of the Dhobi live. A majority of the Muslim Dhobi live in Pakistan.
Today more than most South Asian communities the Dhobi have maintained their traditional occupation of washing clothes and running laundry services. Yet they are struggling; washing machines are replacing them even in Muslim Pakistan.
These Dhobi 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 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.
Though some small success has come in ministry to the Hindu Dhobi, the Muslim Dhobi have no known work among them in Pakistan. In general, the attitude of the Dhobi to education is quite good and literacy in some locations is higher than other Muslim communities. May the Lord use education to bringing many Muslim Dhobi in Pakistan to faith.
Pray for the Muslim Dhobi culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among their family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a Disciple Making Movement among the Dhobi people.
Pray that soon the Muslim Dhobi people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the savior.
Scripture Prayers for the Dhobi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Dhobi (Muslim traditions) |
People Name in Country | Dhobi (Muslim traditions) |
Pronunciation |
DOH-bee
|
Alternate Names | Agasa; Agasaru; Agheria; Awari; Bana; Baretha; Batham; Bhai; Chakala; Chakali; Chandbar; Charhoya; Chauhan-Bhatti; Chawla; Chhimba; Darhi; Dharhiadu; Dharhiannan; Dharhiannari; Dhob; Dhoba; Dhobi; Dhopa; Dhopi; Dhupi; Hawari; Jada; Khurdanai; Madiwal; Madiyal; Madvali; Madwai; Modiyal; Monson; Pak; Parit; Prasad Dhobi; Qasab; Raipal; Rajak; Rajaka; Rajpar; Rajukula; Ram Dhobi; Ramdu; Sakala; SakalaDarhi; Shaheri; Sukladas; Tanwar; Togata; Tsakala; Turaka Chakali; Turka Chakla; Turka Sakala; Vannan; Warathi; Watts; धोबी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 1,287,000 |
Population all Countries | 2,482,000 |
Total Countries | 4 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 26 |
People ID | 17519 |
ROP3 Code | 112937 |
ROP25 Code | 302072 |
ROP25 Name | Dhobi |
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 | 7 | |||||||||
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 | 7 |
Punjab 1,069,000 | |
Sindh 131,000 | |
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 76,000 | |
Islamabad 6,200 | |
Azad Kashmir 4,400 | |
Balochistan 500 | |
Gilgit-Baltistan 70 | |
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 (480,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 16 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Saraiki (480,000 speakers) |
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 16 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Punjabi, Western 473,000 | |
Urdu 103,000 | |
Sindhi 73,000 | |
Hindko, Northern 37,000 | |
Marwari 35,000 | |
Hindko, Southern 28,000 | |
Pahari-Potwari 17,000 | |
Pashto, Northern 11,000 | |
Dhatki 3,200 | |
Bagri 2,400 | |
Kacchi 900 | |
Pashto, Central 900 | |
Koli, Wadiyari 400 | |
Shina, Kohistani 100 | |
Koli, Parkari 100 | |
People Groups | Speaking Saraiki |
Primary Language: Saraiki
Bible Translation Status: Unspecified
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 | 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 |
Photo Source | Oxlaey - Flickr Creative Commons |
Map Source | People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |