Usmani Shaikh in India

The Usmani Shaikh have only been reported 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 term Shaikh is used for a sociocultural group that originated with Arab settlers in South Asia which now includes many subgroups including the Usmani. Islam arrived in the area now known as Pakistan in 711 AD when a Muslim Arab army conquered the northwestern part of the Indus Valley from Jammu and Kashmir to the Arabian Sea. Technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians, and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Arab and Muslim world to the Islamic Sultanate in South Asia and settled permanently. The descendants of these Arabs usually go by the title of Shaikh and are also known in Pakistan as Muslim Khatri. They are a sub-group of the Zamindar group traditionally associated with farming.
Shaikh is also a term that is usually attributed to the leaders or elders of Arabian social groups. After the advent of Islam in South Asia, some high caste (Brahmins, Muslim Rajputs and Khatris) converted to Islam in the Punjab region and adopted the Shaikh title. They are known as Punjabi Shaikh.
There are a couple of Shaikh subgroups, including the Usmani, the Faruqi and the Qureshi. You can tell which group they are from by their surname. The Usmani Shaikhs are scattered throughout India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The large south Asian caste of Shaikhs is not bound by one particular profession. The Shaikh can be broadly grouped into five communities. The majority of the Punjabi Shaikhs are urbanized and detached from their traditional agricultural ancestry. However, a few families still cultivate their own land in the western districts of Punjab. The main professions of the urban Punjabi Shaikhs are business and public service. They are often stereotyped for their business acumen.
Usmani Shaikhs marry within their group. Families arrange marriages. Marriage to one spouse is the norm but a man may marry more wives if he can afford them. Sons inherit property. As Muslims, they will not eat pork.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Usmani Shaikhs profess Islam and have both Sunni and Shia traditions among them. Both groups try to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad. They believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, deceiving, slandering, and making idols. 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.


What Are Their Needs?

There has been much ministry activity among the Shaikh in India. Unfortunately, these efforts have brought few Shaikh into God's kingdom. Shaikhs who live in rural villages often lack access to modern medicine, electricity and clean water. Teams of believers can help meet these needs.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to open the hearts of the Usmani Shaikhs so they will receive the good news.
Pray for a disciple making movement that will bless the Usmani Shaikhs.
Pray for the Lord to send loving workers to the Usmani Shaikhs to tell them about the King of kings.
Pray for dreams and visions to lead this people group to the King of kings.


Scripture Prayers for the Shaikh Usmani in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaikhs_in_South_Asia


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Shaikh Usmani
People Name in Country Shaikh Usmani
Natural Name Usmani Shaikh
Alternate Names
Population this Country 569,000
Population all Countries 569,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
People ID 21816
ROP3 Code 118603
ROP25 Code 307422
ROP25 Name Shaikh
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 20
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
West Bengal
166,000
Uttar Pradesh
116,000
Bihar
79,000
Maharashtra
59,000
Karnataka
30,000
Andhra Pradesh
23,000
Jharkhand
22,000
Telangana
18,000
Gujarat
14,000
Rajasthan
8,100
Tamil Nadu
7,200
Madhya Pradesh
7,100
Delhi
6,300
Haryana
3,900
Odisha
3,400
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 20
  West Bengal 166,000
  Uttar Pradesh 116,000
  Bihar 79,000
  Maharashtra 59,000
  Karnataka 30,000
  Andhra Pradesh 23,000
  Jharkhand 22,000
  Telangana 18,000
  Gujarat 14,000
  Rajasthan 8,100
  Tamil Nadu 7,200
  Madhya Pradesh 7,100
  Delhi 6,300
  Haryana 3,900
  Odisha 3,400
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 (323,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bengali
132,000
Gujarati
6,300
Bhojpuri
5,700
Maithili
4,400
Punjabi, Eastern
2,100
Telugu
1,200
Marwari
900
Marathi
600
Dhundari
500
Awadhi
500
Tamil
400
Kacchi
300
Mewari
200
Bundeli
200
Kanauji
200
Primary Language Urdu (323,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bengali 132,000
  Gujarati 6,300
  Bhojpuri 5,700
  Maithili 4,400
  Punjabi, Eastern 2,100
  Telugu 1,200
  Marwari 900
  Marathi 600
  Dhundari 500
  Awadhi 500
  Tamil 400
  Kacchi 300
  Mewari 200
  Bundeli 200
  Kanauji 200
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

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Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
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Photo Source Rehan Ahmed Usmani - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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