Persian in Oman


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

By definition, Persians (also known as Iranians) are an ethnic group native to Iran. The Persian language, called Farsi, is part of the Indo-Iranian language family, and is the official language of Iran. Dari, the language of the elite in Afghanistan, is a dialect of modern Persian.

Around 1000 B.C., Persian groups began to settle in the territory that is now Iran. Loosely associated Persian tribes became a more cohesive political unit under the Achaemenian dynasty. Their unity soon made them the dominant ethnic group in the region.

For 1,200 years, Persia maintained a culture that became increasingly more complex and rigid. This laid the foundation for a successful Arabian conquest in the seventh century A.D. It was not until the Islamic revolution of 1979 that massive changes came both to Iran and to the Persian people.

Although the vast majority of Persians now live either in Iran or in one of the nearby Middle Eastern countries, small Persian communities can also be found in many other nations around the world.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In the Middle East, about half of the Persians are farmers who depend heavily on methods of artificial irrigation. They also make crafts such as hand woven items, rugs, and pottery. The production of oil has also provided numerous jobs for the Persians. In fact, many of the Persians who live abroad work in this field.

The typical rural Persian home is a single-story dwelling made of clay. It is constructed with a framework of wooden columns, a flat roof, and no windows. Light comes in either through the door or through an opening in the roof. Village populations vary from as small as a few households to more than a thousand people. The size of each village depends primarily on the availability of farmland and water. Homes in cities are usually constructed of burnt bricks. They are built over high foundations and have terraces.

Urban Persians are more or less divided into five well-defined social classes. The lowest class is made up of former villagers who flocked to the towns between the late 1950s and the early 1970s. These unskilled laborers live in densely populated communities located on the outskirts of larger cities. This class forms a majority of the local market craftsmen. At the top of the strata are real estate investors, merchants, and other commercial and industrial businessmen. The priests and other clergymen make up a class known as the ulama.

The basic social and economic unit in Persian culture is the nuclear family; however, some families join together to make larger units. Families are traditionally patriarchal, patrilineal, and patrilocal. This means that their society is strictly male-dominated. The line of descent is traced through the father; property and inheritances are passed down through the males; and family and political rule belong to the men. Persian women are submissive to their husbands in public; however, they often hold a considerable amount of decision making power in private. Men are guardians and defenders of the family honor, and are responsible for protecting the chastity of their daughters and sisters.

Marriages are still arranged, but only after negotiation and approval by both sets of relatives. Marriages between cousins are preferred.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Prior to the Arab invasions, the Persian religion was Zoroastrianism. This religion taught that there was an eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. Shiite Islam became the national religion of Iran in the sixteenth century, at which time the ulama (clergy) began playing an important role in both the social and political lives of the people.

Today, most Persians are Shia Muslims of the Ithna Ashari branch, and are radical in their adherence to Islamic laws and principles.

Islam is a major world religion that is based on the teachings of Mohammed, the prophet. The Koran, or holy book of Islam, was said to have been given to Mohammed by the angel Gabriel.

There are five essential duties in Islam: (1) A Muslim must affirm that "there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet." (2) Five times a day he must pray while facing Mecca. (3) He must give an obligatory percentage (very similar to tithes) on an annual basis. (4) He must fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year. (5) He must try to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in his lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited to drink alcohol, eat pork, gamble, steal, use deceit, slander, and make idols.


What Are Their Needs?

The Islamic world is extremely difficult to influence with the Gospel. Fundamentalist Muslims are very outspoken, even militant, against Christianity. Much prayer is needed to break down the barriers separating them from the Truth.

The Lord is growing his Church in Iran, and many have come to faith in recent years. Prayer is needed to sustain this growth in the days ahead.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to reach out and share the love of Christ with them.
Pray that God will raise up faithful intercessors who will stand in the gap for the Persians.
Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the formerly Muslim Persians who have come to faith in Christ.
Pray their traditional Muslim culture will soften, creating open doors for the Gospel to be preached among them.
Ask the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the Persian people towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Persians.


Scripture Prayers for the Persian in Oman.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Persian
People Name in Country Persian
Pronunciation PUR-zhun
Alternate Names Fars; Irani; पर्षियन
Population this Country 64,000
Population all Countries 46,396,000
Total Countries 42
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 14371
ROP3 Code 107987
ROP25 Code 306674
ROP25 Name Persian
Country Oman
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 31  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Masqat governorate, Muttrah and Ruwi areas near Muscat city; possibly in other coastal cities.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Oman
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 31  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Masqat governorate, Muttrah and Ruwi areas near Muscat city; possibly in other coastal cities..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Persian in Oman
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.30 %)
0.50 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
98.50 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
1.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Persian, Iranian (64,000 speakers)
Language Code pes   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Persian, Iranian (64,000 speakers)
Language Code pes   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Persian, Iranian

Primary Language:  Persian, Iranian

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1546-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-1979)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1838-2020)
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, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio 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 Persian, Iranian 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 The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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 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 resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Hamed Saber - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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