Tamil (Muslim traditions) 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: 4

Subgroup Name Population
Labbai 2,781,000
Kayalan 12,000
Maraikayar Malaimar 1,200
Maraikayar Nahudas 1,200

Introduction / History

The Tamil Muslims are largely defined by their language, Tamil. Some members of the community are descendants of Tamil women and Arab traders. They are drawn from various subgroups, especially the Syed, Sheikh, Labbai, Maraikkayar, and Rawuthar.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are mainly businessmen and industrial workers. Some are in white-collar jobs, and some are engaged in embroidery work. Their relations with other Tamil caste groups and the Hindu communities is cordial.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The 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 that Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
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. They often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

To follow Jesus within a Muslim community is to risk much that is important in life. Family, friends and status are included in what is at risk. Tamil Muslims need to be willing to do this so they can find the only savior.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to raise up a strong disciple making movement to saturate the hearts and minds of this people group.
Pray for spiritual hunger and discernment that will draw Tamil Muslims into the Kingdom of God.
Although there may be no followers of Jesus among the Tamil Muslim community today, pray for those the Lord will soon call to himself. Pray they will grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, learning to live in the power of the Lord's Spirit.
Pray for the Tamil Muslims to live in peace with their neighbors and be able to care adequately for their families. Pray for employment opportunities.


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


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Muslim
https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/research-on-tamil-muslims/article19125378.ece
https://muslimmirror.com/eng/muslims-of-tamil-nadu-history-social-structure-and-current-status/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tamil (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Tamil (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation TAH-mill
Alternate Names Ceylon; Ceylon Tamil; Labbai; Madrasi; Maure, Ceylon; Sri Lankan Moor; Tamalsan; Thulukkan; तमिल (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 3,610,000
Population all Countries 4,776,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 72
PeopleID3 15234
ROP3 Code 109788
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 25
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Tamil Nadu
2,968,000
Karnataka
420,000
Kerala
118,000
Puducherry
46,000
Maharashtra
30,000
Andhra Pradesh
17,000
Telangana
3,900
Delhi
2,000
West Bengal
1,200
Madhya Pradesh
800
Gujarat
800
Andaman and Nicobar
500
Uttar Pradesh
500
Goa
400
Chhattisgarh
200
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 25  (only 20 largest shown)
  Tamil Nadu 2,968,000
  Karnataka 420,000
  Kerala 118,000
  Puducherry 46,000
  Maharashtra 30,000
  Andhra Pradesh 17,000
  Telangana 3,900
  Delhi 2,000
  West Bengal 1,200
  Madhya Pradesh 800
  Gujarat 800
  Andaman and Nicobar 500
  Uttar Pradesh 500
  Goa 400
  Chhattisgarh 200
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 Tamil (2,983,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
Urdu
213,000
Malayalam
100
Arabic, Mesopotamian
50
Bengali
40
Pashto, Northern
20
Primary Language Tamil (2,983,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
  Urdu 213,000
  Malayalam 100
  Arabic, Mesopotamian 50
  Bengali 40
  Pashto, Northern 20
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) 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 General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Tamil 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 Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Tamil Bible (தமிழ் பைபிள்) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Tamil Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Frisse82 - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


Joshua Project logo    Terms of Use   Privacy Policy   Contact Us   Copyright © 2024