Moqaddam in Iran

People Name:	Moqaddam
Country:	Iran
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	1,400
World Population:	1,400
Primary Language:	Azerbaijani, South
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Azerbaijani
Affinity Bloc:	Turkic Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

In Iran, it is good to have Moqaddam as your surname. It is associated with prominent Iranian families, who have leaders and scholars as ancestors. Their name means "leader" or "chief." Moqaddam can also be a title for a local leader. They speak South Azerbaijani.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Like their ancestors, today’s Moqaddam people hold positions of religious leadership in Iran.

What Are Their Beliefs?

This small group is solidly 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.

What Are Their Needs?

The Moqaddam people need to put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ rather than a religious system.

Prayer Points

Pray for Moqaddam culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among their family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Moqaddam people.

Pray that soon the Moqaddam people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the savior.