May 2005

World View

Western Cham of Cambodia

By Brittany Conner

Muffled sobs and shuddering sighs escape from the group of subdued mourners. A young daughter stifles a sob before it escapes through her pursed lips. Each mourner tries to find peace in imagining the deceased in paradise, but doubts plague their minds. “Is he there?” they wonder. “How can we be sure he earned his place in paradise before his death?”

The village imam leads the procession as they slowly walk toward a grave. It’s been a year since the honored man died, and on this final day of ceremonies the family will dig up the body of their relative and transfer his bones to his final resting place. They reverently place the dead man’s bones in the permanent grave along with his rings. As the ceremony ends, each person walks away secretly praying that their dear friend is enjoying the fruits of his respected life on earth.

The Western Cham of Cambodia are a minority people group living in a predominantly Buddhist country. Until 1471, the Cham ruled the Hindu Champa Kingdom in what is now central Vietnam. Today they are a Muslim people group who are growing ever-fervent in their devotion to Islam.

Ask the Western Cham what they think of Arab Muslims and they likely would describe the ones they have met as immoral, mean and hypocritical. Some of the Western Cham pride themselves on adhering to a strict form of Islam inspired by Arab and Malaysian Muslims called Da’wah Tabligh, also known as “The Missionary Preaching Movement.”

Followers of Da’wah Tabligh commit to spend 40 days a year doing missions and evangelism at their own expense. They also seclude themselves inside a mosque several days each month to study and meditate. Their robes and flowing beards reflect the same appearance Mohammed exhibited.

For centuries, the Western Cham combined elements of Islam with ancient animistic beliefs. They experienced no conflict of faith by revering nature spirits alongside the Qur’an. They frequently wore amulets and charms as protection against evil spirits and sickness.

In the 1950s, a sect of Islam attempted to purify the Western Cham’s religion by purging all appearances of animism from their religious practices. Although the group failed to mobilize all Western Cham to return to a pure form of Islam, the group did manage to lay the ground work for the Da’wah Tabligh.

There are approximately 454,000 Western Cham living in Cambodia. Few have heard about Jesus or have met Christians who exemplify holy, disciplined lives. Despite that, the hearts of some Western Cham have begun to turn toward God. An estimated 300 Western Cham have become followers of Jesus in the past 6 months. One Christian worker reports six new Bible study groups among the Western Cham, with approximately 7-20 members attending each group. Five of the Bible studies were formed in a village that previously had invited a believer to preach over the mosque’s loudspeaker during the Muslim holy holiday of Ramadan.

More about the Western Cham

Sources:

-Worldview study by field workers.
- People group profile in “Encyclopedia of World Cultures”, Volume V. This encyclopedia is found in IMB library.