Hajam in Pakistan


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: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Niaria 139,000

Introduction / History

The Hajams or Hajjams are also known as the Nai Muslims or Turuk Navid in India. There is a long-standing tradition of the Hajam being hair-cutters, barbers and manicurist. The Hajams are found in nearly every part of India and most of Pakistan. In Nepal they can be found in almost any part of the Terai region.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Hajam remains a respected caste of hair-cutters (hajamat). In some areas the Hajams are the owners of barber shops and salons. In the Muslim community they can often be an active part of the community as hair-trimming for major family events like weddings and funerals can involve them. Even minor ritual surgeries like circumcision can be conducted by some Hajam. In some communities they can also be match-makers and some women assist with childbirth. Though they are Sunni Muslims, married women will often be distinguished by a nose-stud and the "bindi" dot on the forehead. They are not vegetarian and will eat beef with their rice, wheat or maize. In Nepal they speak Nepali as well as Bhojpuri, Urdu as well as Maithili.


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?

There is a little to no ministry among the Hajams although they are a fairly large Muslim group in Nepal. Even though their community can be slow to adopt new medicine and technology this group remains a strategic people to reach with the Gospel as they have far-reaching connection into the Muslim community socially.


Prayer Points

Pray that the sheer wonder of knowing Jesus and the impact he has on their lives and the joy he brings spur believers to share Christ with the Hajam people.
Pray the hearts of the Hajam people would be stirred by a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit readying them for the time when they hear the gospel message being shared with them.
Pray they will experience dreams and visions of Jesus leading them into a saving relationship with him.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Jesus Christ among the Hajam people.


Scripture Prayers for the Hajam in Pakistan.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Hajam
People Name in Country Hajam
Pronunciation hah-ZHAM
Alternate Names Amrewal; Awadhi; Awadhia; Awari; Bahti; Banbiro; Banvaru; Bhandari; Chabang; Chirath; Dhanwal; Didhia; Ghaijo; Hajjam; Hazam; Jadowal; Jallan; Jarrah; Juvwa; Kaila; Kaith; Kalseru Navaliga; Kanaujia; Karagar; Kelasi; Kelasi Mhali; Khabas; Khalasi; Khalifa; Khalipha; Khurakar; Kshaurak; Mangala; Matkos; Matwal; Mundu; Musalman; Muslim Nai; Nabhik; Nadig; Nai; Nai Muslim; Naia; Napit; Narasundar; Nava; Navaliga; Navid; Nawid; Nayeebrahman; Nayinda; Nhavi; Niaria; Ossan; Ossatha; Osta; Panwari; Paramanik; Punwari; Raja; Rajaji; Sanmukh; Shil; Ustadji; Valand; Valand Nadig; Varik; Vavdichaksi; Wadhi; Wadhio; हजम
Population this Country 2,347,000
Population all Countries 5,211,000
Total Countries 5
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 47
PeopleID3 19655
ROP3 Code 112187
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Punjab
1,819,000
Sindh
254,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
194,000
Azad Kashmir
44,000
Islamabad
34,000
Gilgit-Baltistan
1,600
Balochistan
900
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 7
  Punjab 1,819,000
  Sindh 254,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 194,000
  Azad Kashmir 44,000
  Islamabad 34,000
  Gilgit-Baltistan 1,600
  Balochistan 900
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 Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Western (960,000 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Saraiki
705,000
Urdu
173,000
Sindhi
153,000
Hindko, Northern
94,000
Pahari-Potwari
78,000
Hindko, Southern
64,000
Marwari (Pakistan)
38,000
Pashto, Northern
20,000
Pashto, Central
8,500
Dhatki
6,200
Bagri
4,400
Kacchi
1,000
Kashmiri
900
Balti
300
Shina, Kohistani
200
Primary Language Punjabi, Western (960,000 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 19
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Saraiki 705,000
  Urdu 173,000
  Sindhi 153,000
  Hindko, Northern 94,000
  Pahari-Potwari 78,000
  Hindko, Southern 64,000
  Marwari (Pakistan) 38,000
  Pashto, Northern 20,000
  Pashto, Central 8,500
  Dhatki 6,200
  Bagri 4,400
  Kacchi 1,000
  Kashmiri 900
  Balti 300
  Shina, Kohistani 200
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Western

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Western

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1885-1922)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-2021)
Bible-Complete No
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 DAVAR Partners recording, New Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Western 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 South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
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: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Western 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 Steve Evans - 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.


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