Atishbaz in Pakistan

Introduction / History

The Atishbaz belong to a relatively small Muslim community. The word Atishbaz comes from two Persian words. "Atish" means "fire" and "baz" means "to play". Since the group manufactures fireworks, it is believed that this name is derived from that occupation. Their own tradition holds that the people were brought by the Mughals from Central Asia. Once the Mughal Empire waned, they began to work manufacturing fireworks.

Most of the Atishbaz are found in several districts of Uttar Pradesh. A few are also found in Pakistan. In Pakistan most of them speak Urdu like the Pakistani majority.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Besides the manufacture and sale of fireworks many now work on private farms or as agricultural workers. In addition, some of them are factory workers or even businessmen.

Their society is divided into several settlements, each with its own caste council (the "panchayat"), which governs that community. The Atishbaz prefer to marry their close kin exclusively.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Atishbaz people are Sunni Muslims who 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?

The Atishbaz people need the Holy Spirit to open their eyes and see Jesus. As it stands they must depend on their own ability to obey the teachings of the Koran and the mercy of Allah.

Prayer Points

Pray for them to have a spiritual hunger that can only come from the touch of the Holy Spirit.
Pray the Atishbaz people in Pakistan would soon receive a powerful and culturally relevant presentation of the gospel.
Pray loving Christian believers would be motivated to take the gospel to the Atishbaz people.
Pray for them to soon have disciples who will make more disciples.

Text Source:   Joshua Project