The Dilazaks are one of the Pashtun tribes in Pakistan. The Pashtuns have been called the largest Muslim tribal society in the world. There are at least 30 major tribes, and countless sub-tribes and clans. Spread over a vast geographical area and riven by socio-economic, political, tribal and linguistic (dialectical) differences, Pashtuns nevertheless share a unique sense of common identity. Pashtun identity is based on four elements: Heritage (descent from a common ancestor); Islam (99.9% Muslim); the Pashtunwali Code of Honor ("The Way of the Pashtun"); and to some extent, language (Pakhtu or Pashto). They live primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, though there is a significant Pashtun diaspora in the Arab Gulf and many Western countries.
They have a lot of bad blood between themselves and the Yousafzai tribe, which led to bloody battles about 500 years ago. For this reason, they now live in Pakistan rather than their original Afghanistan. More significant than dialectical differences, a Pashtun’s primary loyalty is to his particular social group (tribe or sub-tribe).
Whether they are new in Western countries or they have never been to the original Pashtun homeland, Dilazak Pashtuns almost always identify themselves as Muslims. They will be married in a mosque, and to be associated with another religious system would be unacceptable in their community. Those who want to take Christ to the Dilazak Pashtuns will need to do just that; take Christ to them, not a religious system. The Pashtunwali Code of Honor erodes among Pashtuns who live in urban settings. Some of them have only a weak identity as Muslims or as Pashtuns. They need to find their identity in the Savior who loves them and wants them to be transformed into His likeness. No one knows how many Pashtuns are following Jesus. Seeds of the gospel have been sown widely. The greatest barriers to faith are social and cultural, leaving us with the challenge of allowing Pashtuns to embrace Christ while keeping their culture and traditions.
All Pashtun tribes need an encounter with the Risen Lord that will help them to see their desperate spiritual state without a savior.
* Scripture Prayers for the Pashtun Dilazak in Pakistan.
Pray for the production and distribution of all forms of media in the Pashtu language, including literature, videos, music, movies, radio, websites, and social media. The demand and response have increased! Pray for Bible translations in progress for all the Pashtu dialects. Pray for more workers to serve among the Pashtun people—in education, business, healthcare, development, and other professional areas!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilazak
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
Expanded PDF Profile |
People Name General | Pashtun Dilazak |
People Name in Country | Pashtun Dilazak |
Natural Name | Dilazak Pashtun |
Population this Country | 154,000 |
Population all Countries | 221,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 3 |
Alternate Names | |
People ID | 21599 |
ROP3 Code | 118396 |
Country | Pakistan | ||||||
Region | Asia, South | ||||||
Continent | Asia | ||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||||||
National Bible Society | Website | ||||||
Persecution Rank | 8 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||||||
Total States on file | 6 | ||||||
Largest States |
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Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 8 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 6 |
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 67,000 | |
Punjab 49,000 | |
Sindh 31,000 | |
Islamabad 4,700 | |
Azad Kashmir 3,200 | |
Gilgit-Baltistan 300 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Pashto, Central (63,000 speakers) | ||||||||||||
Language Code | pst Ethnologue Listing | ||||||||||||
Language Written | Unknown | ||||||||||||
Total Languages | 12 | ||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Pashto, Central (63,000 speakers) |
Language Code | pst Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 12 |
Secondary Languages | |
Pashto, Northern 55,000 | |
Saraiki 16,000 | |
Punjabi, Western 7,400 | |
Urdu 6,800 | |
Hindko, Northern 5,700 | |
Pahari-Potwari 2,400 | |
Hindko, Southern 1,700 | |
Sindhi 1,300 | |
Shina, Kohistani 500 | |
Khowar 200 | |
Kohistani, Indus 200 | |
People Groups | Speaking Pashto, Central |
Primary Language: Pashto, Central
Bible Translation Status: Translation Needed
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching |
Film / Video | God's Love Story |
General | General Ministry Resources |
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 Pakistan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |