Pasi (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.

Introduction / History

The legend about the origin of the Pasi community is that one day a man was going to kill a number of cows. Parashuram, a Hindu saint, was at that time practicing austerities in the jungle. Hearing the cries of the sacred animals he rushed to their assistance, but the cow killer was aided by his friends. So Parashuram made five men out of kusha grass and brought them to life by letting drops of his perspiration fall upon them. Hence arose the name Pasi, from the Hindi pasina (sweat).

They have always had low status; in fact during colonial days the British labeled them a "criminal" community, and they expected the Pasi to be thieves and looters.

Most of the Pasi people remained Hindu after the invasion of Muslims hundreds of years ago, but some converted to Islam, forming a separate community. These Muslims, no doubt, would not be drawn to that Hindu legend, or herd pigs like some of their Hindu relatives.


Where Are they Located?

Though Hindu Pasis are all over India, the Muslims live in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Today the Muslim Pasi perform all kinds of jobs. Some make plates, others tap palm trees and gather date sugar. Others are farmers or rickshaw drivers. They can be weavers, stone carvers, or goldsmiths.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim Pasi people are Sunni, the largest branch of Islam. They believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoken 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.

In most of the Muslim world, peoples like the Pasi 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. The often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

The Pasi people, be they Hindu or Muslim, need to put their faith in Jesus Christ, the only one who can bless them with abundant life and eternal salvation from sin and death.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Muslim Pasi communities.
Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Pasi people.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Pasi people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers Pasi disciples to make more disciples.


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


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17852/IN
https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/pasi/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasi_(caste)


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Pasi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Pasi (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation PAH-see
Alternate Names Byadha; Gaiduha; Tarmali; पासी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 19,000
Population all Countries 22,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17659
ROP3 Code 113099
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
Bihar
9,800
West Bengal
8,600
Uttar Pradesh
200
Andaman and Nicobar
10
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
  Bihar 9,800
  West Bengal 8,600
  Uttar Pradesh 200
  Andaman and Nicobar 10
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 (8,200 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Bengali
6,900
Bhojpuri
1,100
Hindi
200
Primary Language Urdu (8,200 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Bengali 6,900
  Bhojpuri 1,100
  Hindi 200
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)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
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World Bible Finder
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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 Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
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
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Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kitab e Muqaddas Urdu General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Urdu Devnagri Bible (उर्दू बाइबिल) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu Injeel Sharif General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Urdu Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Ek Rasta Urdu General / Other
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
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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: Urdu YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Urdu Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  India Missions Association  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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