Shershabdia (Muslim traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

It is believed that Lord Vishwakarma created two groups of people, and those who could work in wood were called the Badhi. This term is derived from the Hindi word barhai, meaning "carpenter." Though the Hindu community known as the Badhi claim a descent from Lord Vishwakarma, the divine architect, there is another group of Badhi. The community of Muslim carpenters, part of the Saifi in the Muslim caste-system, are also called Badhi. Though the Hindi tradition states descent from deity, the Muslim tradition claims descent from early Muslim settlers in northern India. More likely, they are Muslim converts from the Badhi caste.
Though most Muslim Badhai live in India, there are smaller numbers of them in Nepal and Pakistan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Traditionally, the Badhi were a caste of carpenters and wood workers, making furniture and agricultural implements. Many present-day Badhi have moved into farming or agricultural labor. Though the settlements where they live may be populated by multiple castes or religions, the Muslim Badhi occupy their own quarters. Every settlement has its own panchayat, a caste council for settling disputes and maintaining order. There is very little interaction between the Badhi and other Muslim groups, despite close proximity. Even intermarriage with other groups is almost non-existent. The exception to this rule are those belonging to the Muslim Saifi caste, which encompasses carpenters and blacksmiths. Neighboring non-Muslim groups are even less tolerated, and the Badhi remain socially distant with them.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Badhi 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 Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
In most of the Muslim world, common 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 they live on a daily basis. For that reason, some Muslims appease spirits using charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces. More orthodox Muslims consider these practices heretical and un-Islamic.


What Are Their Needs?

The Badhi people need to be given the chance to hear the life-changing gospel so they can enjoy life to the full.


Prayer Points

Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Badhi 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 Badhi people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Shershabdia (Muslim traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Shershabdia (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Shershabdia (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names Badhia; Chinaora; Kalbelia; Melori; Odmata; Sheresahbadia; Shersahbadia; Sishoobadia; Sishubadia; Uranamara; बढ़ी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 42,000
Population all Countries 45,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17476
ROP3 Code 112886
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 4
Largest States
Uttar Pradesh
34,000
Bihar
5,800
Uttarakhand
1,000
West Bengal
900
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 4
  Uttar Pradesh 34,000
  Bihar 5,800
  Uttarakhand 1,000
  West Bengal 900
Website South Asia Peoples
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 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Urdu (33,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
Bengali
1,200
Awadhi
900
Bhojpuri
100
Garhwali
80
Primary Language Urdu (33,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
  Bengali 1,200
  Awadhi 900
  Bhojpuri 100
  Garhwali 80
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1747-1894)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
Bible-NT Audio Online
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Urdu Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2023  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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.