Faqir in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 28 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Bairagi 13,000
Benawa 5,600
Chishti 5,500
Qalandar 4,800
Dervesh 4,100
Azad 3,300
Gosain 3,000
Udasi 2,600
Jalais 2,100
Sanyasi 2,100

Introduction / History

The Faqir (or Fakir) of India are beggars by tradition. Fakir comes from the Arabic word meaning poverty.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In Uttar Pradesh, most of the Faqir are landowners and work in cultivation. Poultry work is a second occupation for them. Most of them are living in multi caste villages where there are many religions. Every subdivision has a caste council that judges local problems and matters. They are endogamous, which means they do not marry outside their group and have a caste association that covers India.
In Gujarat, the Faqir are endogamous, and marriages usually happen in their community. They favor parallel cousin marriages and cross cousin marriages. They traditionally beg and some work at Sufi shrines. Most now work as laborers.
In Maharashtra, the Faqir speak Urdu and Marathi. They beg but there is a slow change towards work such as selling baskets, crockery and craft items. Most are laborers, particularly in Nagpur. They have been given the Other Backward Classes position which means they have a part in education and work.
In West Bengal, the Faqir are also called Sahajia and were beggars. They are supposed to be called by that name as they were followers of Sher Ali Sahaji who is classed as a Sufi saint. Some cultivate jute and mustard seeds and produce cooking oil. A few are landless agricultural laborers. Some live in Muslim cemeteries.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They are Sunni Muslim by religion. They also hold folk beliefs.


What Are Their Needs?

They have a low literacy level so the gospel will have to be presented in oral form.


Prayer Points

Pray that these low status Muslims will look to Jesus for acceptance.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out loving workers to the Faqir community in India.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give Faqir elders a hunger and thirst for righteousness and be satisfied by the Lord.


Scripture Prayers for the Faqir in India.


References

www.peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/fakir
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/faqir_(clan)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Faqir
People Name in Country Faqir
Alternate Names Bava; Bhenrihar; Darvesh; Fakir; Faqirani; Fhakir Budbudki; Gareri; Ghanta Fhakirlu; Ghanti Fhakir; Pir; Sai; Sain; Sayee; Shah; Turaka Budbudiki; फ़क़ीर
Population this Country 101,000
Population all Countries 147,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 2  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 16762
ROP3 Code 112012
ROP25 Code 302404
ROP25 Name Faqir
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Muslim - other
People Group Faqir
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 28 (only 15 largest shown)
  Bairagi 13,000
  Benawa 5,600
  Chishti 5,500
  Qalandar 4,800
  Dervesh 4,100
  Azad 3,300
  Gosain 3,000
  Udasi 2,600
  Jalais 2,100
  Sanyasi 2,100
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 21
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
31,000
Haryana
12,000
Madhya Pradesh
9,200
Delhi
8,300
Punjab
8,000
Rajasthan
7,800
Bihar
5,900
West Bengal
3,700
Gujarat
3,000
Jharkhand
2,700
Maharashtra
2,100
Himachal Pradesh
2,000
Uttarakhand
1,800
Chandigarh
1,600
Odisha
400
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 21  (only 20 largest shown)
  Uttar Pradesh 31,000
  Haryana 12,000
  Madhya Pradesh 9,200
  Delhi 8,300
  Punjab 8,000
  Rajasthan 7,800
  Bihar 5,900
  West Bengal 3,700
  Gujarat 3,000
  Jharkhand 2,700
  Maharashtra 2,100
  Himachal Pradesh 2,000
  Uttarakhand 1,800
  Chandigarh 1,600
  Odisha 400
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
33.37 %
Islam
60.41 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
6.22 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (42,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Urdu
29,000
Punjabi, Eastern
8,700
Bhojpuri
2,900
Bengali
2,700
Wagdi
1,100
Gujarati
1,100
Marwari (India)
400
Haryanvi
400
Kanauji
300
Awadhi
200
Mewari
100
Maithili
100
Bilaspuri
70
Kashmiri
70
Malayalam
20
Primary Language Hindi (42,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Urdu 29,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 8,700
  Bhojpuri 2,900
  Bengali 2,700
  Wagdi 1,100
  Gujarati 1,100
  Marwari (India) 400
  Haryanvi 400
  Kanauji 300
  Awadhi 200
  Mewari 100
  Maithili 100
  Bilaspuri 70
  Kashmiri 70
  Malayalam 20
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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