Punjabi, Western in United Kingdom

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. In general, those who migrated from Pakistan speak Western Punjabi, and they're Muslim.

The first Punjabis to migrate to the UK arrived in early colonial days, the late 1700s. Others joined them in the 1800s and 1900s as domestic servants and seamen. The first major migration of Punjabis happened in the 1950s when the UK faced a labor shortage. In the following decades, their wives and families joined them, usually becoming citizens.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Western Punjabis in the UK are most noted for a couple of things. Their pop music is popular, mostly with other South Asians. Their cuisine is popular with the entire population of the UK, especially chicken tikka masala, declared a national dish. Muslim Punjabis tend to not be as wealthy as their Hindu or Sikh counterparts.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Western Punjabis in the UK 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?

Western Punjabis in the UK need to saving power of Jesus Christ, the only Savior. As it stands, they depend on their ability to obey the teachings of the Koran and the goodwill of Allah.

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 Western Punjabi-speaking Muslims that will overflow to other Muslim communities in the UK.

Text Source:   Joshua Project