Shenva (Muslim traditions) in India

The Shenva (Muslim traditions) have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Shenva people claim that their ancestor was the result of a union between a Rajput man and a tribal woman. Another legend tells us that they are descended from Hindu Rajputs who fled to the forests to escape from Muslim invaders in Gujarat. They have Scheduled Caste status, which is fairly low. Most Shenvas are Hindus, but a small number of them converted to Islam in the past, making them a divided community.


Where Are they Located?

The Shenva people live in Gujarat. Muslims among them are in the southern part of that state.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Shenva, also known as Rawat, are a Scheduled Caste in the state of Gujarat, which entitles them to certain government benefits. This community consists of several clans that do not intermarry with one another. They are mainly agricultural laborers and have their own land and homes. Others manufacture brooms and mats.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim Shenva people are Sunni, the largest branch of Islam. They believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoken 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, peoples like the Muslim Shenva 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 Shenva people, be they Hindu or Muslim, need to put their faith in Jesus Christ, the only one who can bless them with abundant life and eternal salvation from sin and death.


Prayer Points

Pray for families of Shenva believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing churches.
Pray for a chain reaction of Shenva families reaching families that results in thousands of new believers who share their faith with others.
Pray for grace and truth expanding into the entire Shenva society as all believers learn to love others.
Pray that churches and believers will bless their entire people group in such a way that God's love will change the Shenva people like yeast changes dough.


Scripture Prayers for the Shenva (Muslim traditions) in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17678/IN
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18086/IN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenva


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Shenva (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Shenva (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names शेनवा (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 400
Population all Countries 400
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17678
ROP3 Code 113123
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 2
Largest States
Gujarat
400
Daman and Diu
20
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 2
  Gujarat 400
  Daman and Diu 20
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 India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gujarati (400 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Gujarati (400 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Gujarati

Primary Language:  Gujarati

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1809-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1823-2021)
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 Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Gujarati Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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 Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
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
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Gujarati YouVersion Bibles
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.