Sayyid Husaini in India

People Name:	Sayyid Husaini
Country:	India
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	511,000
World Population:	970,000
Primary Language:	Urdu
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:	South Asia Muslim - Sayyid
Affinity Bloc:	South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Sayyid ancestors migrated to India from different parts of Iran. The Sayyid are one of the larger segments of Muslims in India. The word literally means master; the closest English equivalent would be sir or lord. Some Muslims use the term sayyid for the descendants of Abu Talib, uncle of Mohammad. They have their subgroups, one of which is called the Husaini.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Sayyid occupy the highest of social class among Muslims. They are traditionally the priests and religious teachers of the Muslim communities. More recently they can be found in a host of government service, teaching and business occupations. They marry mainly among their own clans and other Ashraf category Muslims.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Husaini Sayyid can be found in both major sect divisions of the Shia and the Sunni. Many of them adhere to the more emotional and mystical Sufi form of Sunni Islam. Because of their position as religious teachers and priests they are considered 100% Muslim in each of the countries where their live.
As Muslims they 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.
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 Husaini Sayyid people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.

Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Husaini Sayyid.
Pray God will have mercy on the Husaini Sayyid doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Husaini Sayyid to the gospel.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.