Ahmadi 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

In the late 1880s the Ahmadi Muslim sect was established in the city of Qadian in the Punjab. It is founded on the teachings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to appear in fulfillment of prophesies regarding end times. Followers of this movement call themselves the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. They are now in over 200 countries worldwide. They live all over the northern states of India, but they have a low population.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of them are in business, but some Ahmadiyyas are farmers or day laborers. A council looks after their needs. They do not marry outside their community. The Ahmadiyyas are noted for evangelizing both Christians and Muslims. This has won them many enemies among mainline Muslims, but since they are fewer in number in India, they are relatively safe in that part of South Asia. They are free to call themselves "Muslims" in India, but there is a lot of pressure and even violent persecution of them in both Pakistan and Bangladesh for their unorthodox beliefs.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Mirza Ghulam Ahmadi said that he would bring about the triumph of Islam through peaceful means. He claimed to be the promised messiah and Mahdi, for whom Muslims have waited. His followers believe that Ahmadi appeared in the likeness of Jesus. The Ahmadis believe that Islam is the final dispensation for humanity as revealed to the Prophet Mohammed, but it's true path has been lost through the centuries. They think that they are leading people to the true way of Islam. The Ahmadis sincerely believe that if others followed the teachings of Ahmad and accepted him as a savior, the world would be a better place. Orthodox Muslims hate the Ahmadis, but they appreciate their ability to debate Christians and publicly bring doubt on the teachings of the Bible. Their theological beliefs are far different than other Muslims. They are about as far from mainline Islam as Mormonism is from biblically-based Christianity. One of the main reasons they differ so much from other Muslims is that they have their own savior, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, whom they believe is like a second coming of Christ. They put his teachings on par with those spelled out in the Koran; this alienates mainline Muslims.


What Are Their Needs?

The Ahmadis need a safe home where they can live in peace. But even more than that, they need the humility to accept Jesus Christ as the victorious, resurrected King of kings.


Prayer Points

Pray that God gives them dreams and visions leading them to put their faith entirely in Jesus Christ. Pray that they read about Jesus Christ in the Bible and give their lives to Him. Pray that their leaders come to salvation and lead their community into a disciple making movement.


Scripture Prayers for the Ahmadi in India.


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Ahmadi
People Name in Country Ahmadi
Pronunciation ah-MAH-dee
Alternate Names Ahmadiya; Amdani; Faqir; Qadiri; Qadiyani; अहमदी
Population this Country 84,000
Population all Countries 189,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 19477
ROP3 Code 100142
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 17
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
39,000
Madhya Pradesh
12,000
Delhi
9,900
Gujarat
6,300
Rajasthan
4,900
Maharashtra
2,300
Haryana
2,100
Uttarakhand
1,900
West Bengal
1,100
Bihar
1,100
Punjab
900
Jharkhand
800
Chhattisgarh
500
Himachal Pradesh
400
Odisha
300
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 17
  Uttar Pradesh 39,000
  Madhya Pradesh 12,000
  Delhi 9,900
  Gujarat 6,300
  Rajasthan 4,900
  Maharashtra 2,300
  Haryana 2,100
  Uttarakhand 1,900
  West Bengal 1,100
  Bihar 1,100
  Punjab 900
  Jharkhand 800
  Chhattisgarh 500
  Himachal Pradesh 400
  Odisha 300
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 (45,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
Hindi
21,000
Gujarati
2,200
Bhojpuri
1,900
Punjabi, Eastern
900
Bengali
800
Wagdi
700
Kanauji
500
Marwari (India)
200
Garhwali
200
Maithili
60
Kashmiri
Primary Language Urdu (45,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 21,000
  Gujarati 2,200
  Bhojpuri 1,900
  Punjabi, Eastern 900
  Bengali 800
  Wagdi 700
  Kanauji 500
  Marwari (India) 200
  Garhwali 200
  Maithili 60
  Kashmiri 10
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
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Forum Bible Agencies
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Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
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
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
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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 NTNU - Flickr  Creative Commons 
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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