Jat (Muslim traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Jat people are a historical Indo-Aryan tribal group native to the Punjab region.

We do not know when the Jat people established themselves in the Indian desert. By the 4th century they had spread to the Punjab.

Jat people have a history of being brave and ready fighters. They are fiercely independent in character and value their self-respect more than anything, which is why they offered heavy resistance against any foreign force. The Jat lifestyle was designed to foster a martial spirit. Whenever they lost their kingdoms, Jat people retired to the countryside and became landed barons and the landlords with their swords girded round their waists. They would draw the sword out of the scabbard at the command of their panchayat to fight with the invaders.

The Jats rose to prominence following the 1669 Jat uprising against Mughal rule, and they ruled various princely states throughout the 18th century. After 1858, under the British Raj, the Jats were known for their service in the Indian Army, being categorized as a "martial race" by the British, specifically in the Jat Regiment, the Punjab Regiment and the Sikh Regiment.

According to earlier censuses, the Jat people accounted for approximately one-quarter of the entire Sindhi-Punjabi speaking area, making it the "largest single socially distinctive group" in the region. In 1931, the date of the last census of the British Raj before the abolition of caste, they were distributed throughout rorth India, mostly in the Punjab and Rajputana. Today, the largest population center is located in the Punjab region, Haryana and Rajasthan. There are also smaller distributions across the world, due to the large immigrant diaspora.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Jat people are one of the most prosperous groups in India on a per-capita basis (Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat are the wealthiest of Indian states).

In the government of their villages, they appear democratic. They have less reverence for hereditary right and a preference for well-chosen elected headmen. Jats have dominated as the political class in Haryana and Punjab. A number of Jat people belonging to the political classes have produced many political leaders, including the 6th Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.

The Jat people are required to marry within their community. Widow marriage is not only permitted and practiced but is also a social obligation. The joint family system was popular amongst the Jats and large families used to share the same house and hearth. With the advancement of modern civilization, as people are becoming less dependent upon each other, the joint family system is becoming less prominent.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim Jat people are from the Sunni branch of Islam. They 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?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Muslim Jat communities.

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Muslim Jat.

Pray for the Muslim Jat people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Muslim Jat people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Jat (Muslim traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Waiting World - The Punjabi

Source:  The Waiting World      Download

People Name General Jat (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Jat (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation jot
Alternate Names Jat; Jati; Jatu; Langah; Langha; Manhas; Mannas; Marth; Nath; जाट, (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 552,000
Population all Countries 14,491,000
Total Countries 6
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
People ID 17571
ROP3 Code 112998
ROP25 Code 303344
ROP25 Name Jat
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 19
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
147,000
Jammu and Kashmir
61,000
Uttarakhand
56,000
West Bengal
55,000
Punjab
38,000
Haryana
38,000
Rajasthan
37,000
Gujarat
33,000
Delhi
29,000
Madhya Pradesh
18,000
Himachal Pradesh
6,300
Chandigarh
6,000
Maharashtra
2,900
Chhattisgarh
1,700
Manipur
600
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 19
  Uttar Pradesh 147,000
  Jammu and Kashmir 61,000
  Uttarakhand 56,000
  West Bengal 55,000
  Punjab 38,000
  Haryana 38,000
  Rajasthan 37,000
  Gujarat 33,000
  Delhi 29,000
  Madhya Pradesh 18,000
  Himachal Pradesh 6,300
  Chandigarh 6,000
  Maharashtra 2,900
  Chhattisgarh 1,700
  Manipur 600
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Urdu (291,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 26
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Punjabi, Eastern
118,000
Bengali
48,000
Kashmiri
17,000
Gujarati
13,000
Marwari
12,000
Kacchi
9,200
Kumaoni
3,300
Garhwali
3,000
Pahari-Potwari
2,700
Punjabi, Western
2,500
Dogri
2,200
Haryanvi
1,900
Dhundari
1,800
Bagri
1,500
Shekhawati
1,000
Primary Language Urdu (291,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 26
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Punjabi, Eastern 118,000
  Bengali 48,000
  Kashmiri 17,000
  Gujarati 13,000
  Marwari 12,000
  Kacchi 9,200
  Kumaoni 3,300
  Garhwali 3,000
  Pahari-Potwari 2,700
  Punjabi, Western 2,500
  Dogri 2,200
  Haryanvi 1,900
  Dhundari 1,800
  Bagri 1,500
  Shekhawati 1,000
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1747-1894)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
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Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Urdu Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
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Photo Source Steve Evans - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source The Waiting World
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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