Nat (Muslim traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Nat or Nut peoples name is derived from the Sanskrit word nata which means dancer. They are a traditional occupational caste known for dancing and singing. The Nat have a generally lower caste status or in some states of India they are a scheduled caste. The Nat Muslim can be found in north India by the names Nar, Naitak or Natak, though a large majority of the Nat are Hindus. About 25% of Nat are Muslims. The Muslims among the Nat people live in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

As traditional dancers and acrobats that are often semi-nomadic, the Nat Muslims can still be found in acrobatic events and as singers, dancers or unskilled laborers. Men and women are known to sing and play the flute or dholak. Tattooing is common for women especially on the forehead. The Nat Muslims of Nepal speak Bhojpuri and Nepali. The Nat follow Sunni Muslim traditions and are non-vegetarian. They can be given in child marriages and nuclear families can be more common than extended families among them. The Nat Muslims tend to have a very low literacy rate.


What Are Their Beliefs?

These 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?

It is possible that the Nat Muslim in the lower castes would be open to the gospel but very few have ever tried and even fewer have worked with the Nat Muslim of India. Small business development and micro loans could likely be a big encouragement to this entrepreneurial people group.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Muslim Nat communities.

Pray for the Nat people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Muslim Nat people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.


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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Nat (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Nat (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names Bajania; Bajania Nat; Bazigar; Bhanumati; Dapad; Gulgulia; Kalbelia; Karnat; Kutchwandh; Nut; Parnewala; Rai Nat; Sanchia; Sapela; Sapera; Sapera muslim; नट (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 163,000
Population all Countries 199,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
People ID 17631
ROP3 Code 113067
ROP25 Code 305909
ROP25 Name Nat
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 8
Largest States
Uttar Pradesh
120,000
Bihar
20,000
Madhya Pradesh
14,000
Uttarakhand
5,700
Jharkhand
1,800
West Bengal
600
Rajasthan
100
Odisha
80
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 8
  Uttar Pradesh 120,000
  Bihar 20,000
  Madhya Pradesh 14,000
  Uttarakhand 5,700
  Jharkhand 1,800
  West Bengal 600
  Rajasthan 100
  Odisha 80
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 (120,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
Bhojpuri
12,000
Maithili
1,900
Bengali
1,000
Awadhi
700
Bundeli
600
Garhwali
600
Magahi
300
Marwari
100
Dhundari
100
Odia
30
Primary Language Urdu (120,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
  Bhojpuri 12,000
  Maithili 1,900
  Bengali 1,000
  Awadhi 700
  Bundeli 600
  Garhwali 600
  Magahi 300
  Marwari 100
  Dhundari 100
  Odia 30
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
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
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 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 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 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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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