The Muslim Sonar people have their roots in Hindu mythology. According to the legend, Sonars are the descendants of the youngest of five sons created by the Hindu god Vishnu's incarnation, Vishwakarama. The first Sonar was used by the goddess Devi to destroy a giant demon who was made of gold. This Sonar convinced this vain demon that he would look better if he were polished, a process which involved being melted down, and ultimately destroyed.
Most members of the Sonar community are Sikh, Jain, or Hindu, and they live in India's northern states. A small number are Muslims, and a smaller number of these live in Pakistan's Punjab Province.
Wealthy Sonars are money lenders. There are some Sonars who now sell groceries or own land, but most are still craftsmen. Specifically, they make jewelry out of gold or silver. Hindu Sonars are free to make jewelry and idols that honor their deities, but Muslim Sonars cannot participate in these activities.
Sonars tend to marry within their own communities. They do not practice child marriage, and they live within nuclear families. In today's world, the Sonars are starting to get higher education.
Sunni Muslims believe that they can please Allah by obeying what he told them to do in the Koran and the hadith. Salvation is based on the will of Allah, which means that no one will know his or her eternal fate until the Day of Judgment.
These people are middle class or wealthy, so they do not feel a need to take care of their basic needs. However, they have spiritual needs which are unmet by Islam.
Pray for the Sonar community to be humble enough to acknowledge their need for forgiveness of sin, and that they understand the provision for forgiveness that God has provided.
Scripture Prayers for the Sonar (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17684/PK
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18150/PK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunar
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/Sonar-Goldsmiths/
https://www.quora.com/Sunar-Goldsmith-is-backward-caste-in-India-is-it-true
http://www.peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/sonar/
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Sunar%20(caste)
Profile Source: Keith Carey |
People Name General | Sonar (Muslim traditions) |
People Name in Country | Sonar (Muslim traditions) |
Pronunciation | suh-NAR |
Alternate Names | Aksali; Ashraf; Ausala; Hemkar; Jangar; Jargar; Kamsala; Kapila; Karai; Khakhar; Khatri; Konkar; Korai; Maipotra; Mair; Niaria; Potdar; Sanur; Saraf; Sarat; Shakish; Sharif; Sheriff; Soni; Soni Hahajan; Sunar; Suni; Sunia; Suniar; Suniyara; Suvarnakar; Swarankar; Swarnakar; Tank; Verma; Zargur; सोनार (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 372,000 |
Population all Countries | 409,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 7 |
People ID | 17684 |
ROP3 Code | 113129 |
ROP25 Code | 307633 |
ROP25 Name | Sonar |
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 | 6 | ||||||
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 | 6 |
Punjab 268,000 | |
Sindh 51,000 | |
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 51,000 | |
Islamabad 800 | |
Gilgit-Baltistan 500 | |
Balochistan 400 | |
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 (132,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 14 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Saraiki (132,000 speakers) |
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 14 |
Secondary Languages | |
Punjabi, Western 124,000 | |
Urdu 32,000 | |
Sindhi 32,000 | |
Hindko, Northern 17,000 | |
Hindko, Southern 12,000 | |
Marwari 8,300 | |
Pashto, Northern 6,300 | |
Pashto, Central 3,600 | |
Bagri 2,100 | |
Pahari-Potwari 2,000 | |
Dhatki 1,400 | |
Kacchi 500 | |
Balti 80 | |
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 |
(Representative photo) Copyrighted © 2023 Kalcutta - Shutterstock All rights reserved. Used with permission |
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. |