Punjabi in United Arab Emirates

Introduction / History

The name "Punjabi" is used to describe both those who speak Punjabi, and those who inhabit the Punjab region in India and Pakistan. Punjabi is an Indo-European language that is divided into six main dialects. It is primarily spoken in the major regions of India and Pakistan. In general, Punjabis in Pakistan are Muslim and those in India are either Hindu or Sikh. There are two broad dialects of Punjabi. Western Punjabi is the language of those further west in Pakistan; almost all of them are Muslims. Eastern Punjabi speakers can be Muslim, Sikh, or Hindu.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Though Punjabis in the UAE can be of one of three religions, the three are unlikely to intermingle socially for religious, cultural, or linguistic reasons. However, they intermingle with other South Asians, especially for the August 15 Independence Day celebration. Other than that, they come together along religious community lines.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Punjabis in the United Arab Emirates 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.

What Are Their Needs?

Punjabis in the UAE need to saving power of Jesus Christ, the only Savior. There are many who have accepted his lordship in Canada and India, but in the UAE, Christian believers among them are few.

Prayer Points

Pray that God intervenes in their lives and helps them understand his value and worth in our lives.
Pray that their hearts soften up to know more and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Pray for God to soften their hearts and to know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Pray for a soon coming movement to Christ among Punjabi-speaking Hindus and Sikhs that will overflow throughout the United Arab Emirates.

Text Source:   Joshua Project