Gadaria (Muslim traditions) in India

People Name:	Gadaria (Muslim traditions)
Country:	India
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	4,400
World Population:	4,400
Primary Language:	Hindi
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South Asia Muslim - other
Affinity Bloc:	South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Gadaria people are a low status community living in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and southern Pakistan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Muslim Gadaria work as weavers, herders and masons.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim Gadaria are part of the Sunni branch of Islam. They believe 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 Muslims 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 Gadaria communities.

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

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

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

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