People profile

Today there are approximately 33 million Muslim Jat spread throughout Northwest India and Pakistan. Jat are Sunni Muslims, but Islam in the region is also deeply impacted by Sufi mystic influences. They have their own culture, which includes poems, songs, and stories of romance.

They are a proud, conservative people and most of the Jats live in rural areas, where they are landowners. A small percentage are traders and laborers. Many Jats are well read, and some occupy high academic and technical positions.

Strategic prayer

  • Gospel resources are available in Punjabi and Saraiki (the main languages of the Jat), but Christianity is seen as a foreign and unwelcome influence that divides families.
  • There are Jat believers but no known movements to Christ. Movements among whole clans would reduce the stigma of conversion and the impact of persecution on new believers.
  • There are several networks and outreaches among the Jat, but there is a need for greater access to the Bible in their language. The Jat are known to be a proud, fierce people, and it can be intimidating for outsiders trying to gain acceptance among their communities.