Pre-second century inhabitants, Hazaras are likely the first to live in Afghanistan. Their traditional homeland lies in central Afghanistan amid rugged mountains - a wildly beautiful, nearly inaccessible region of craggy peaks and rushing rivers called the Hazarajat. Hazara origins are much debated. Their name is from a Persian word meaning "thousand." Current theory - supported by obvious Asian features - favors descent from Mongol soldiers left behind by Genghis Khan in the 13th century, with considerable Turkish admixture. Their unwritten dialect, Hazaragi, contains regional languages—Arabic, Urdu, Mongol, Turkish and Dari/Farsi, which is now Afghanistan's primary language.
Prior to the 19th century, Hazara were 67% of the total population, the largest Afghan ethnic group. More than half were massacred in 1893 when they lost their autonomy through political action. Later militant governments, including the Taliban, attempted to dismiss them historically, politically and culturally by labeling them a mere religious entity and continued to attack them until they were driven from power. With the Pashtun-dominated Taliban in power, persecution of the Hazaras has increased tremendously.
Understandably, the Hazara have left Afghanistan to countries where they can safely earn a living a raise families. Some of these countries are geographically close such as Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and the United Arab Emirates. Others have fled much further to Australia, Canada and the United States. Surprisingly, there are a couple thousand in Indonesia, in Southeast Asia.
Very few Hazaras have made their way to nearby Tajikistan. They are beyond the reach of the murderous Taliban, but they have trouble making a living. They are on the border with Afghanistan, so they can return, but who wants to return to a country where their life is in danger?
Hazara people are usually Shia Muslim. Shia practices tend toward the ecstatic. They affirm human free will, and they differ with the Sunni Muslims in matters of law and ceremony. Unlike the Sunnis, Shias believe that Mohammad's successor should be someone in his bloodline, namely Ali. Because some of their leaders have faced violent, martyr's death, Shias understand that a righteous man can be killed by the unrighteous. For this reason, Christ's death on a Roman cross isn't as foreign to them as it is to Sunnis. Only about 15 percent of the world's Muslims are Shia; most of the rest are Sunni.
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 Hazara people in Tajikistan need the opportunity to start new lives. They also need the chance for a new spiritual start.
Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Hazara people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing the hearts of these people would be open and ready to follow him.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly.
Pray for the spiritual lives of the Hazara people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.
Scripture Prayers for the Hazara in Tajikistan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazaras
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Hazara |
People Name in Country | Hazara |
Pronunciation |
huh-ZAH-ruh
|
Alternate Names | Afghan Persian; Behsud; Berberi; Dai Kundi; Dai Miradad; Dai Zangi; Ghazni Hazaras; Jaguri; Khawari; Polada; Teymur; Urusgani; Yekaulang; हज़ारा |
Population this Country | 1,800 |
Population all Countries | 4,450,000 |
Total Countries | 9 |
Indigenous | No |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 12076 |
ROP3 Code | 103743 |
Country | Tajikistan | ||
Region | Asia, Central | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
Persecution Rank | 44 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Country | Tajikistan |
Region | Asia, Central |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | 44 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
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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 %
|
Primary Language | Hazaragi (1,800 speakers) |
Language Code | haz Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Hazaragi (1,800 speakers) |
Language Code | haz Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Hazaragi |
Primary Language: Hazaragi
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (2008-2015) |
Bible-New Testament | No |
Bible-Complete | No |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation | Create International |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Hazaragi | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |