Khatik (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan

Introduction / History

The Khatik are a low caste group. Caste affects both Muslims and Hindus throughout South Asia, even in Muslim Pakistan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Khatik people, even the Muslims among them, have low status in Pakistan. Some raise pigs, which makes other Muslim communities look down upon them. They are treated as repulsive and dirty.

What Are Their Beliefs?

There are many Hindus among the Khatik caste, but some 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?

The saying applies here, "Once in a caste forever in a caste." The Khatik caste can receive dignity, and their future can be changed by the one and only true God. By receiving Jesus Christ, the Khatik people can receive hope and a future.

Prayer Points

Pray for God to raise up followers of Christ in Pakistan who will live among the Khatik people and show them how to live out their lives with dignity and hope in Jesus Christ.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of Khatik people to receive their loving Lord.
Pray for the Lord to send dreams and visions that will lead Khatik leaders to the only savior.

Text Source:   Joshua Project