Qureshi Shaikh 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 Qureshi. 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. Each has a corresponding surname. Qureshi Shaikhs are all scattered throughout India. There are the same number of them in Pakistan and a small Qureshi community in Nepal.


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.
Qureshi 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?

Qureshi 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 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 Qureshi Shaikhs so they will receive the good news.
Pray for a disciple making movement that will bless Qureshi Shaikhs this decade.
Pray for the Lord to send workers to Qureshi Shaikhs to tell them about Jesus or Isa.
Pray for dreams and visions to lead them to the cross.


Scripture Prayers for the Shaikh Qureshi in India.


References

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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Shaikh Qureshi
People Name in Country Shaikh Qureshi
Natural Name Qureshi Shaikh
Pronunciation koo-RESH-ee SHAYK
Alternate Names Kuresi; Matoa Quershi; Quraishi; Qureshi; शैख़ करिशी
Population this Country 9,724,000
Population all Countries 10,816,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 194
People ID 21236
ROP3 Code 118058
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 30
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
West Bengal
2,663,000
Uttar Pradesh
1,880,000
Bihar
1,380,000
Maharashtra
964,000
Karnataka
586,000
Jharkhand
359,000
Andhra Pradesh
356,000
Rajasthan
303,000
Gujarat
269,000
Telangana
221,000
Madhya Pradesh
179,000
Delhi
147,000
Tamil Nadu
127,000
Haryana
77,000
Punjab
54,000
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 30  (only 20 largest shown)
  West Bengal 2,663,000
  Uttar Pradesh 1,880,000
  Bihar 1,380,000
  Maharashtra 964,000
  Karnataka 586,000
  Jharkhand 359,000
  Andhra Pradesh 356,000
  Rajasthan 303,000
  Gujarat 269,000
  Telangana 221,000
  Madhya Pradesh 179,000
  Delhi 147,000
  Tamil Nadu 127,000
  Haryana 77,000
  Punjab 54,000
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 (5,398,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 37
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bengali
2,141,000
Gujarati
122,000
Bhojpuri
93,000
Maithili
71,000
Marathi
67,000
Telugu
61,000
Punjabi, Eastern
50,000
Marwari
45,000
Awadhi
31,000
Kannada
29,000
Dhundari
16,000
Shekhawati
15,000
Tamil
14,000
Kacchi
5,800
Kanauji
5,400
Primary Language Urdu (5,398,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 37
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bengali 2,141,000
  Gujarati 122,000
  Bhojpuri 93,000
  Maithili 71,000
  Marathi 67,000
  Telugu 61,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 50,000
  Marwari 45,000
  Awadhi 31,000
  Kannada 29,000
  Dhundari 16,000
  Shekhawati 15,000
  Tamil 14,000
  Kacchi 5,800
  Kanauji 5,400
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

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Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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