Memon in Pakistan

People Name:	Memon
Country:	Pakistan
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	173,000
World Population:	859,100
Primary Language:	Sindhi
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South Asia Muslim - other
Affinity Bloc:	South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

It's a rare thing when a new country is born. Rarer still does one ethnic group get credit for the country's existence. Pakistan was born in 1947, and the Memons have been instrumental for Pakistan's economic survival.
The Memons are business people; traders, shippers, importers and exporters. For centuries they thrived economically while other Muslim groups struggled. As Pakistan grew in stability, the Memons expanded their trades. Several built international empires. Centuries before independence, the Memons practiced charity and social involvement.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Wherever they migrate, they establish social and welfare committees. Any member of their group can ask for help, making sure that they don't face dire poverty like many of the other Islamic groups of South Asia.
But turmoil in Pakistan has caused the Memons to feel unwanted. Still, in spite of repeated political maneuvers to destroy their power, the Memons rise like a phoenix. But many have shifted their centers of activity to other countries.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Memon 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.

What Are Their Needs?

Though their material needs are met, their spiritual needs are lacking. The only one who can provide Pakistan's Memons with the abundant spiritual life they need is Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points

Pray that followers of Christ, involved in international business, will demonstrate God's priorities of love, humility, justice and mercy. Pray that Memon businessmen will encounter revelations of Jesus and turn to him.
Pray for a soon coming movement to Christ among the Memons in Pakistan.