Introduction / History

The Tirahi people are of the Kashmiri people cluster. They are found in the village of Nangarhar, southeast of Jalalabad and west of the Khyber Pass. At one time they lived among the powerful Pashtun tribes, but were expelled from their homeland by the Afridi Pashtuns.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Some speak Tirahi, which is an almost extinct language. Only a few of the Tirahi, mostly the elderly, still speak Tirhai.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tirahai people are Sunni Muslims who believe that the One, 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. 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. The often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.

What Are Their Needs?

The Tirahi people need to submit to Jesus Christ so they can experience the abundant life He offers them in John 10:10. Some Christian audio recordings have been translated into their language, but they need to be distributed.

Prayer Points

Pray that the Tirahi people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings. Pray for workers who are driven by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them. Pray for a Disciple Making Movement among them to begin this decade.

Scripture Prayers for the Tirahi in Afghanistan.